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DE WITT & SMELLING 

BOOKSELLERS 

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ELDO'RA'DO 




HON. D. A. SHAW 



ELDO'RADO 



...CR... 



CALIFO^JSIIA 

A-s Seen "By a 'Pioneer, 



I850-I900. 



...-By... 

HOJ^. 2). A. SHAW, 

Pajadena, Cat. 

Member Society of "Pioneerj. 
Member Southern California Academy o_f Sciencej . 



i»oo. 
R. R. Baumoardt 6l C*o., 

i.oa ANOnt.KS. OAI.. 



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DeMcation. 



TO THE 

PIONEERS OF CALIFORNIA, 

Aud their Descendants, 

The Native Sons and Daughters of the 
Goi,DEN West, 

This volume is respectfully dedicated 
with the best wishes of 

THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE. 



There are still living, after the lapse of fifty years, 
many Pioneers, and more of their descendants, to 
whom I trust the following pages will bear more than a 
passing interest. To the pioneers they will restore the 
fast fading recollections of events in which their ex- 
periences were to a large extent very similar to my 
own. One by one our comrades are dropping from 
sight, passing to that new "Eldorado," whose streets 
are paved with gold, and where the hot blasts of 
sandy deserts, and the difficulties and dangers of the 
pioneer's life are unknown. This work, which has 
been a labor of love, was undertaken after solicitation 
of those whose judgment I respect. While written 
entirely from memory, I have endeavored to record 
simply facts and events as they occurred, and for my 
narrative lay no claim to literary merit. Whatever 
its defects I crave the indulgence of my pioneer com- 
rades, and a generous public. 

I desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to R. Guy 
McClellan, author of "Republicanism in America," 



PREFACE. 

also to John Bigelow, author of the "Life of John 
Charles Fremont," in addition to other recorded data. 
I have written with the hope of pleasing as well as in- 
structing the younger portion of the present generation 
who desire, and should become, familiar with the strug- 
gles, and circumstances, attending the acquisition and 
development of the great State in which we all feel 
so laudable a pride, and where over every school 
building there now floats the emblem of freedom, 
equality and fraternity. 

To wrest an extensive domain from semi-barbarism ; 
to reveal its unlimited treasures ; to open up new ave- 
nues of commerce ; to form a progressive, enlightened 
and liberal government ; to herald the advent of new 
social and religious conditions ; these made a com- 
mendable field for noble endeavor. Living in the 
glorious advantages their labors secured to us ; who 
shall say their duties were not well performed by the 
founders of our grand commonwealth. They brought 
civilization, beauty, and unrivaled attractions to a vast 
country of unbounded possibilities ; a land of mighty 
monarchs of the forests, whose topmost branches pierce 
the clouds, the wonder of all beholders, a land of giant 
mountains, which, from their aerial heights, pour down 
to the thirsty valleys below their crystal floods, beauti- 
fying all the landscape with fruit, flower and vine, and 
creating panorama after panorama of unsurpassed ter- 
restrial beauty. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Hon.^D. A. Shaw Frontispiece 

ADJOINING PAGE 

Gen. John C. Fremont 48 

The Squaw Man's House and Wife 62 

Indian Attack on E. J. Baldwin's Racine 

Party near Salt L,ake, in 1853 74 

In the High Sierras 126 

Public I^ibrary, Redlands, Cal 190 

Santa Barbara Mission 207 

Yosemite Valley, California. . 232 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I— Page 

El Dorado — The Journey 17 

CHAPTER II— 

On the Platte 27 

CHAPTER in- 
still Among Indians 36 

CHAPTER IV— 

Pack Saddles and Perils 46 

CHAPTER V— 

Another Stage 57 

CHAPTER VI— 

Salt Lake 68 

CHAPTER VII— 

A Second Overland Journey 72 

CHAPTER VIII— 

The Mormons 80 

CHAPTER IX— 

Travel Resumed 89 

CHAPTER X— 

Historical Incidents 96 

CHAPTER XI— 

Pilot's Peak and Beyond 100 

CHAPTER XII— 

Hunter and Trapper 120 

CHAPTER XIII— 

To the Mines 124 

CHAPTER XIV— 

The Mines — Pandemonium 131 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XV— Page 

Judge Lynch 139 

CHAPTER XVI— 

Mining Experience 145 

CHAPTER XVH— 

Battle Over Land Claims 150 

CHAPTER XVIH— 

Captain Sutter — The Gold Discovery 157 

CHAPTER XIX— 

Floods and Fires 167 

CHAPTER XX— 

Foes, Fruits and Progress 174 

CHAPTER XXI— 

Legends and Early History 194 

CHAPTER XXII— 

Later History 208 

CHAPTER XXIII— 

The State 231 

CHAPTER XXIV— 

Remarkable Adventures and Heroism of California 
Pioneers, a Quarter of a Century Before the 

Discovery of Gold 237 

CHAPTER XXV— 

The Daring Adventures of Bill Bent and Other 
Historic Characters in New Mexico and Cali- 
fornia 249 

CHAPTER XXVI— 

Additional Personal Narrative 268 

CHAPTER XXVII— 

An Account of the Suflferiugs of a Party of Argonauts 
who were'compelled to Abandon their Vessel "The 
Dolphin" on the Peninsula of Lower California, 
and make their Way on Foot to San Diego 299 



NOTABLE PLACES. 

Page 

Fremont's Peak 32 

Pilot's Peak 97 

Willow Springs 39 

The Burning Desert 92 

Ragtown 117 

Hangtown 131 

Lake Tahoe 233 



NOTABLE EVENTS. 

Page 

Conflicts Over Land Claims 152 

Convention to Form Constitution 224 

Courts and Punishment Improvised 140 

Gold Discovered 158 

Amount of Gold Taken 164 

Crossing the Platte 28 

Postoffice Experiences 137 



NOTABLE PERSONS. 

Page 
Blackbird 238 

Bill Bent 238 

Kit Carson 34, 60, 76, 98 

Captain Donner 113 

General J. C. Fremont 42, 47, 211 

Mrs. Fremont 49 

J. H. Hardy 23, 33, 35 

W. B. Ide 214 

Dr. Kirkbridge 43 

Little Bow 240 

J. S. Smith 237 

Wm. Sublette 121 

Captain Sutter 157 



CHAPTER 1. 



ELDORADO— THE JOURNEY. 

The present generation, and especially the sons and 
daughters of the Golden West, take a commendable 
interest in reading the accounts of the circumstances 
and conditions attending the early history and the ex- 
periences of pioneer life in California, after the dis- 
covery of gold in 1848. The admission of the State into 
the Union Sept. 9, 1850, one week after the arrival of 
the writer, was a memorable day, and will be duly cele- 
brated by all who participated in the stirring scenes of 
those early times. It is estimated that40,ooo immigrants 
arrived here overland and by way of the Isthmus of 
I'anama in 1849, ^"d 36,000 in 1850. As to the kind 
of men, (but very few women came those years), who 
composed the greater part of the immigrants and re- 
mained to develop the resources of the Golden State, 
a late writer says : "To this land of golden promise 
in the early times came the bravest and best men of 
the older states. The pioneers were the adventurous 
and daring spirits of the old home, who, ill-content 
to Slav and vegetate amid the familiar scenes of their 
birth, took heart of hope, and through weeks and 
months of peril and fatigue toiled across the waterless 
and savage -peopled wastes to the land afar. They lit 



i8 ELDORADO 

their campfires of buffalo chips and sage brush and 
tossed in uneasy dreams at night with their guns for 
pillows. The reveille that awoke them was often the 
crack of rifles in the hands of savages. For days, 
weeks and months they thirsted and hungered amid 
the alkali deserts and the rocky canyons, and when 
they reached this land of promise there was little left 
them but that dower of splendid manhood, brains and 
brawn. No better, braver, truer men ever went up 
against double-shotted guns in battle than were most 
of the gallant, hardy young men who peopled Cali- 
fornia fifty years ago, and the wealth they dug from 
the earth and washed from the auriferous streams was 
but the fair reward of valor. The State these men 
founded has been developed by their sons until in the 
bright galaxy of stars on the nation's flag there gleams 
no brighter emblem than that of California. 

"Beautiful California, the sunny land of giant 
woods and giant mountains, and valleys that are fat 
with plenty ! California, the brilliant and beautiful 
land of handsome and charming women, who have 
helped to make the whole world brighter and better. 
California, whose golden gardens reek with the odors 
of the orange blooms, and whose flowers garland with 
magnificence the vales from foothill to seacoast." 

Though leaving home with all its endearments, on 
a journey that could not occupy less than two years in 
time, to encounter the dangers incident to such an un- 
dertaking, encountering sickness with no kind and 
loving hand to. administer to their wants, all these 
considerations were overborne by that wild enthusiasm 
that found utterance in such extravagant song as that 
of which the following: is a well-remembered stanza : 



ELDORADO 19 

I soon shall be in 'Frisco, 

And then I'll look all round, 
And when I see the gold lumps there, 

I'll pick 'em off the ground 
I'll scrape the mountains clean, my boys, 

I'll drain the rivers dry, 
A pocket full of rocks bring home. 

So brother don 't you cry. 
O, California, 

That's the land for me, 
I'm bound for San Francisco 

With my wash bowl on my knee 

Ministers of the gospel raised their voices against 
the dangers of gold and prophesied troublous woes 
upon the country, and these started in the first ship as 
missionaries to San Francisco, where they were often 
discovered afterwards in the mines with overalls and 
rubber boots or at the gambling table, where the pas- 
tor would sometimes meet one of his own church 
members. Physicians, lawyers and judges would ob- 
tain a good supply of balls and powder and start ofif 
to the land of gold to the tune of 

"O ! Susanna, don't you cry." 

On the appearance of grass upon the plains the 
march began. The prairie schooners from Missouri 
and Arkansas, drawn principally by oxen or mules, 
and lighter wagons from the Northwest, formed a con- 
tinuous line of march by every route leading to the 
South Pass of the Rocky Mountains. Tn wagons, on 
horses, on mules, with pack animals, hand carts and 
wheelbarrows, men. women and children trudged 
along on foot. Ilarrassed by Indians, the day was 
passed in toil and the night in standing guard. 

Through inexperience and haste the animajs' 
strength, with only grass for food, began to faiU and 
before the pass was reached the loss of stock became 



20 ELDORADO 

serious, and large quantities of supplies, especially in 
'49, had to be abandoned. These losses became a dis- 
astrous matter before the end of January was reached 

Along- the valley of the Humboldt, across the wide 
sandy plains, covered with sage brush and alkali, under 
a burning sun, the long journey was slowly performed. 
Many trains, to avoid the 45 -mile desert between the 
sink of the Humboldt and Carson river, took what 
was known as Lassen's cut-off, but which proved to 
be much farther and more difficult. A large number 
that were in the rear were caught in the snows of the 
Sierras, and relief parties were sent from Sutter's 
Fort to their assistance. After having slept in the 
open air for months on the ground, the rainy season 
in the mines had to be provided for. Some gained 
shelter for themselves by building canvas or log 
cabins. Others, neglecting to so provide for them- 
selves, in their haste to secure and work their mining 
claims, became dependent for shelter and food upon 
the more thoughtful and provident at great expense. 
My first winter in the mines was spent in a canvas 
tent, where snow fell at considerable depth on Ranch- 
eria creek, in Amador countv. Many suffered from 
scurvy and other ailments in consequence of improper 
food. The late Dr. Stillman. who conducted a hos- 
pital in Sacramento in '49 and '50. in his interesting 
book. "Seeking the Golden Fleece." estimates that "in 
less than one year at least 10,000 of the young men 
who started on their long journey with cheers and 
songs were sleeping their last sleep beneath the wild 
flowers." 

Fruit and vegetables were impossible to obtain. All 
our ticnu", butter and cheese were brought from Chili. 



ELDORADO 21 

South America. Later, when a few apples commenced 
to arrive from Oregon, they sold readily for $1 apiece. 
It was the memory of these hard experiences endured 
by the early immigrants that formed the basis of the 
organization of the Society of Pioneers, of whose ex- 
periences those who have entered the state at a later 
period have no adequate conception. 

Among those coming at an early date was a class 
who might have regarded themselves as pioneers, 
principally from Sydney, Australia, and other foreign 
countries, and known as a dangerous and rowdy ele- 
ment, but they soon disappeared before the advancing 
civilization without leaving posterity or any evidence 
of industrial enterprise. 

Most of the great enterprises that have placed Cali- 
fornia in the front rank of the states of the Union 
were originated and carried to completion by pioneer 
brains and money. They were, and are today, the 
mental and financial forces that control our great rail- 
road systems, our extensive commerce, ovir manufac- 
tures, and largely the banking business. . Two of the 
greatest educational institutions of the world have been 
established and endowed, at a cost of $40,000,000, 
b\- pioneers who endured the hardships of the early 
immigrants. With few exceptions the most important 
and responsible positions in public life in the state, on 
the bench, at the bar, in the L^nited States senate, are 
and have been filled by Pioneers or Sons of the Golden 
West. With one or two exceptions every governor of 
California has been a pioneer. 

Two years after the discovery of gold by Marshall 
while digging a mill race at Coloma, on the American 
river, L like thousands of other young men, had the 



22 ELDORADO 

California gold fever and "had it bad." The imagina- 
tion, especially of those of an adventurous spirit, was 
stimulated by the most extravagant and exaggerated 
accounts of the gold mines. It was even reported that 
nuggets of pure gold worth thousands of dollars had 
been found with handles attached to them, making an 
independent fortune for the lucky finder. Uniting the 
very limited capital at my command— saved from 
teaching school in winter at $12 a month, and working 
in summer — I, with four other young fellows, left my 
father's home at Marengo, 111., on April 19, 1850, with 
two covered wagons and eight horses, with such a 
supply of provisions, medicines and the like as might 
be required for a journey of five or six months. 

The parting with father, mother and sisters was for 
the moment a sad one. The gift of that bible and the 
tearful benediction and prayer for the safe return of 
an only son can never be effaced from memory, and 
often in times of temptation, when far from home and 
social restrains, those memories prevented the son's 
feet from straying into forbidden paths. The novelty 
of camping out and cooking soon wore off. Every 
member of the company performed the duties of cook 
and dishwasher in turn one week at a time. After 
crossing the Mississippi river we were compelled to 
remain at Tipton, Cedar county, Iowa, nearly three 
weeks until the grass should start, as the prairie fires 
had consumed the greater part and settlers were often 
twenty or thirty miles apart. 

We soon ascertained that the house at Tipton at 
which we were stopping was the headquarters of a 
gang of horse thieves, and we were compelled to stand 
guard over our horses at night. On one occasion the 



ELDORADO 23 

thieves came near getting away with two of our best 
horses during a very dark night, but the guard, having 
awakened from sleep, discharged his revolver, which 
caused the thieves to disappear in the darkness. 

Wc encountered many driving storms and swollen 
streams. ^Vs there were no bridges we sometimes had 
to construct our own. 

After arriving- at Council Bluffs — then a military 
post on the east bank of the Missouri — and going into 
camp on the river bottom, we were joined by other 
companies of overland emigrants from Illinois and 
Wisconsin, and organized a company for mutual 
protection while passing through the various Indian 
tribes. We were to be known under the name of "Wild 
Rovers," with J. H. Hardy of Wisconsin as captain. 
A schedule of by-laws was adopted and signed by each 
member of the company. The manner of leaving camp 
in the morning and corralling and standing guard 
every night was provided for and ever after adhered 
to, until the company was compelled to break up into 
smaller bands on account of shortness of feed for 
stock. 

The Indians would sometimes attempt to stampede 
our horses when picketed out at night by shaking 
buffalo robes as near as safety to themselves would 
permit, and in one or two instances succeeded, but, 
fortunately, after considerable delay, the stock was all 
recovered. Whenever there was an appearance of 
danger the train was corralled in the form of a circle, 
or semi-circle, and fires for cooking were made inside, 
while a strong guard was placed with the horses until 
a certain hour in the night, then they were tied to the 



24 EI.DORADO 

wagons inside the circle until morning, when they 
were again put out to graze. 

After two days travel from the Missouri river we 
reached the Elkhorn, at that time a wide, turhulent 
stream overflowing its hanks, occasioned by the heavy 
spring rains. Our only means of crossing was to 
stretch a rope from hank to bank and use our wagon 
beds for boats to transport our efifects. This means 
of crossing streams we had anticipated from the start, 
and had our wagon beds made water tight, with the 
necessary amount of rope for all emergencies. We 
camped on the east bank of the stream and received a 
friendly visit from some of our Pawnee brothers and 
sisters, who were being "civilized" and "Christian- 
ized" at a near-by mission. They were in their native 
costume of red blankets, buckskin breeches and moc- 
casins, and spoke but little English. We distributed 
some presents among them, for which they seemed 
much pleased. They had not yet learned to swear as 
a friendly salutation at meeting and parting, as had 
the natives further up on the Platte, who had caught 
it from the ox and mule drivers. With a friendly 
shake of the hand it would be, "Whoa, haw, G — d — 
you; haw, gee." 

After our breakfast that morning, which as usual 
consisted of coffee, pancakes and bacon, we had our 
first experience in crossing a large stream relying on 
our own resources. Our train consisted of twenty 
wagons, with an average of three men and the same 
number of horses to each wagon. A young man. one 
of our best swimmers, was detailed to take a small 
cord in his teeth made fast to a strong rope and swim 
to the opposite side. Fortunately either bank at that 



EI.DORADO 25 

time was fringed with trees, to one of which the rope 
was attached, and by the use of our wagon beds for 
our effects, and swimming our stock, we crossed with- 
out accident or loss. From here we commenced our 
long journey tip the north bank of the Platte. The 
Loup fork and other tributaries being difficult to ford 
on account of the treacherous quicksand bottoms, com- 
pelled us to go several miles out of our course to find 
safe crossings. The distance from the Missouri to 
Fort Laramie, the first government post, was 700 
miles ; to the South l*ass of the Rocky Mountains, 
1000. Indians were occasionally seen, but proved 
friendly. Five days out from the Elkhorn we were 
joined by a chief, who presented to our captain a 
"recommend" written by some trader or immigrant, 
stating that he was a good Indian, and if anything 
was stolen he would recover and return it. 

In some cases the "recommend" would read : "This 
is a bad Indian ; he will steal anything he can lay his 
liands on. Look out for him" Of course he was 
never the wiser for what it contained. This particu- 
lar chief wore a discarded black coat and a tall, bat- 
tered, plug hat, relics, no doubt, of a dead or "busted" 
'49er. 

In the first rush to the gold mines of California the 
previous year, many died from cholera and other 
causes, and much clothing- and other property were 
thrown away and appropirated by the Indians. This 
chief traveled with us two days and was useful in 
various ways, helping to select suitable camp grounds, 
gathering dried buffalo chips, etc. It was our first 
knowledge and experience in that kind of fuel for 
cooking purposes. That, with willow twigs and sage 



26 ELDORADO 

brush, was all the fuel we had for many weeks, in 
fact until we reached the Black Hills in what is now 
Wyoming. 

Upon the leave-taking of our ''good Indian" we 
gave him numerous little presents, with which he was 
much pleased, and, mounting his pony, he was soon 
lost to view in the distance. In all my experience with 
Indians I have found kindness and good treatment as 
much appreciated as by the more civilized, and I have 
sometimes thought even more so. 

Only a single tree was seen between the Elkhorn 
and Laramie, and that stood about lOO miles below the 
latter place, on the north bank of the Platte, near the 
water's edge. On my next overland trip in '53 I noticed 
that the "lone tree" had been cut down by some van- 
dal who had not the fear of future punishment before 
his eyes. While in camp at this point I had a thrilling 
experience in crossing the Platte with a life-preserver, 
in an attempt to interview immigrants on the south 
side, many of whom were reported sick and dying with 
the cholera. 



ELDORADO 27 



CHAPTER II. 



ON THE PLATTE. 

The main Platte river below Laramie is formed by 
the two principal branches, the North and South 
Forks, the Sweetwater, and some smaller streams that 
issue from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. 
In the spring and early summer a large volume of 
water finds its way to the Missouri from the melting 
of snow upon the high range, and from the heavy 
rains that fall at that season of the year. Some of the 
severest thunder storms that I have ever witnessed 
were encountered as we approached the higher alti- 
tudes. Whenever these occurred our train was halted 
and every man sought shelter in our covered wagons 
from the driving rain, which was often accompanied 
with hail. The blinding flashes of lightning and near 
peals of thunder were at times most appalling. 

To favor our animals as much as possible, no man 
was permitted to ride unless he was sick. The average 
distance traveled each day was about fifteen miles, ex- 
cept where wide stretches of desert or alkali plains 
were met with. Then a longer distance was traveled 
to reach grass and water, in some cases thirty or forty 
miles, and in one instance ninety miles. 

The Platte water was unfit for use unless strained 



28 ELDORADO 

or filtered, on account of the floating sand, which made 
it impossible to see the bottom even in the shallowest 
places. The river bed was simply moving sand, and 
new channels of uncertain depth were constantly be- 
ing formed by the rapidly flowing water. Long streaks 
of sand or little islands appeared at one time, and again 
almost entirely disappeared, making a very dan- 
gerous stream to cross. At the "lone tree" it was per- 
haps three-quarters of a mile wide. While we were 
camped at that point there was also a company of im- 
migrants in camp on the opposite side of the river. Up 
to this time, having had no communication with those 
who came by way of Fort Kearney, we were anxious 
to learn their condition, with reference to reports of 
many dying with the cholera on that route. 

It fell to my lot to cross the river and interview 
them, but first I donned a life-preserver, as the cross- 
ing was dangerous, both from the wide, rapid channels 
and the quicksands, in which both men and animals 
had sometimes lost their lives. We were told of a man 
who, while out hunting with a well-trained horse, shot 
some game on a small island while on the main bank 
of the river, and throwing his bridle over a willow 
bush went to recover it. On his return, near the shore, 
he sank in the quicksand and was unable to extricate 
himself. Realizing his danger, as a last resort he 
whistled and called to his horse, which seemed in- 
stinctively to realize that some danger threatened. 
The horse pulled himself loose from the bush, went 
quickly to the aid of his master, and was induced to 
place himself in such a position that the man was able 
to grasp his tail. By that means the rider was extricated 
from his perilous position. I cannot vouch for the 



ElvDORADO 29 

truth of this, thoug'h horses sometimes show remark- 
al)lc intelligence. As an illustration I relate the fol- 
lowing: Later on, when traveling down the Hum- 
boldt, my only remaining pony was stolen by the In- 
dians when I became separated from my company. 
After I had searched and waited a day the horse 
either broke loose or stole away from the Indians and 
returned to me, after I had abandoned the search. I 
was alone at the time in a most desolate region, and 
her appearance and show of afifection was like that of 
meeting a near and tried friend. She seemed as glad 
to return as I was to welcome her. 

But to return to the crossing of the Platte. After 
wading and swimming, avoiding the quicksands as 
much as possible, when I got within about 100 yards 
of the opposite side, I found the most difficult and 
dangerous portion to cross, and was undecided for a 
time whether to attempt it or return. A large volume 
of water had cut a deep, wide channel that extended to 
a high, precipitous bank. I decided not to return with- 
out accomplishing my object, and swam to the bank, 
but was carried some distance down the stream and 
found the bank very difficult to ascend. The water 
was deep and the current rapid as it cut into the yield- 
ing earth. A man who had noticed my crossing came 
to my relief, and after getting the information that I 
desired I returned to camp, chilled and weary. The 
wife of the man who came to my aid had just died 
from the cholera, and he was left to pursue his jour- 
ney bereft of the society of his loving wife. We 
witnessed many sad scenes upon our route, man}- dy- 
ing on both lines of travel. Some, discouraged by the 
loss of father, mother or children, would turn and 



30 EIvDORADO 

make their weary way back to the States to their old 
homes and friends. Many were ill prepared for so 
long a journey, and by careless and imprudent driving 
and management their teams would give out or die, 
when they would take what they could carry on their 
backs and travel on foot. Women, especially, from 
Missouri and Arkansas, would be seen attempting the 
journey on foot. I have seen men trundling wheel- 
barrows with all their earthly goods, others with an 
ox or cow "packed" as the only means of conveyance. 
Women, under the most adverse and trying circum- 
stances, exhibited far more patience, fortitude and res- 
ignation to the inevitable than men. In sickness es- 
peciaH-y^-their care and sympathy was almost indispen- 
sable. Their help and encouragement were always 
greatly prized. 

In consequence of the large amount of travel on 
the plains, game had become somewhat scarce. A few 
buffalo, antelope and mountain sheep were now and 
then seen, and occasionally one w.ould be killed by 
the hunters of our party : so we were quite well sup- 
plied with meat. That of the antelope is very similar 
to venison. Nothing is finer than the steak of a young 
buffalo, and to preserve what we were unable to con- 
sume fresh we cut it into long strips and "jerked," or 
dried it over a slow fire on sticks, in the same manner 
as our "foremothers" dried pumpkin for family use. 
Prepared in that wav it was verv palatable and nu- 
tritious and could be kept a long time. 

Before leaving the Pawnee country and entering 
that of the Sioux, one of our boys, while hunting, had 
gone farther into the hills in pursuit of game than was 
safe, and was unable to reach camp before nightfall. 



ELDORADO • 31 

Hungry, thirsty and tired, he reacehd the Platte bot- 
tom as darkness was coming on, with no camp or train 
in sight. He saw, however, at no great distance a clus- 
ter of Indian tepees or wigwams. He approached and 
made known his wants by signs. The chief Indian 
motioned for his rifle, which was handed to him, and 
after discharging it left it still in his possession. The 
boy's wants were supplied with the best they had to 
give. After a good night's rest, with a buffalo robe 
for his bed, his rifle was returned to him and he was 
permitted to go, grateful for favors received. In good 
time he overtook the train, none the worse for his ex- 
perience. 

For the most part, the landscape for 600 or 700 miles 
on the main Platte was very monotonous, the valley 
proper varying in width from one to two miles. As 
we ascended to the higher regions near the base of the 
Rocky Mountain range many curious and fantastic for- 
mations were seen. Among the most picturesque and 
unique were Castle and Chimney rocks, a few miles 
from the line of travel below Laramie. One resem- 
bled an immense castle, with its walls and towering 
domes, and the other a column of an immense height, 
round and perfect as though built by human hands. 

Acres of fallen, petrified forest, seen before reach- 
ing the Black Hills, formed a most interesting and cu- 
rious sight, the broken trunks lying thick upon the 
ground, from one to two feet in diameter, solid as 
granite and of various lengths. They presented a re- 
markable feature of nature. 

One of the grandest sights and one not soon to be 
forgotten, was presented as the lofty, snowy ran.<re of 
the Wind River mountains, lying north of the Stnith 



32 ^ ELDORADO 

Pass, came into view. They were probably 300 miles 
distant, but through the clear, rarified atmosphere ap- 
peared much nearer. 

Fremont's Peak, the tallest of the group, presented 
the appearance of a vast body of snow reaching to the 
clouds. In the bright simlight of the early morning 
to us "Wild Rovers" it was a very inspiring sight. On 
the top of the tallest peak, Fremont (after whom it 
was named), with his movmtain guides, raised, in 1843, 
the Stars and Stripes and reported finding a bumble 
bee on the extreme summit, benumbed with cold, en- 
deavoring evidently to pass from one side to riie other 
of the range. 

Traveling at the rate of fifteen miles a day makes a 
journey somewhat monotonous, but the trip overland 
was occasionally broken b}^ some exciting episode. 
(Ine occurred after leaving "Lone Tree," 100 miles 
below Fort Laramie. About 500 miles out from Mis- 
souri we were joined by two men and two women with 
one emigrant wagon. They had asked permission of 
Captain Hardy to camp with us as a protection against 
the Indians, which was granted. It was soon apparaent 
that a feud of some kind existed in their household, 
apparently with "tAvo women in it," until finally, upon 
leaving camp one morning after a little altercation be- 
tween the two men, one was shot, and at the time it 
was supposed he had received his death wound. The 
shooter at once mounted one of his horses and attempt- 
ed to escape, whereupon our train was immediately cor- 
ralled and a number of our men started in pursuit of 
the supposed murderer. After a chase of several miles, 
when he was about to be overtaken, he jumped from his 
horse and secreted himself among the willows upon a 



EIvDORADO 33 

small island in the river. After considerable parleying- 
he consented to give himself up if he could have a fair 
trial, which was promised, although many had declared 
for shooting or hanging him at once. Our physician 
(who afterwards died with the cholera) extracted the 
bullet from the injured man by making an incision in 
the pit of the stomach, where it had lodged, but his re- 
covery was considered doubtful. However, general 
consent was had to give the man a trial, as promised 
by his captors. Captain Hardy was selected as judge, 
a jury impaneled, and I was chosen to defend the pris- 
ioner (my maiden case more than ten years before I 
was admitted to the bar). A Mr. Coleman of Michigan 
stood for the people. I secured both the women as 
witnesses for my client, who put up a strong case 
against the supposed dying man, and I so far won the 
suit that the verdict of the jury was that the prisoner 
be taken to Fort Laramie and delivered up to the mili- 
tary authorities to be sent home for trial. This was 
done. Upon arriving at the Fort we found a party 
who had known my client in Christian county, Illinois, 
and who declared him to be a notorious horse-thief and 
counterfeiter. The wounded man was still alive, and 
we decided to leave the whole outfit at the fort. While 
being taken back to the States the prisoner made his es- 
cape before reaching Fort Leavenworth. Three years 
later I met both men at Hangtown, where they were 
partners in running a blacksmith shop. My client ex- 
pressed much gratitude for saving his life. On arriv- 
ing at Fort Laramie in 1853, I inquired of the com- 
manding officer what had become of the women. Ho 
stated that they both married soldiers, and were then 
at Fort Leavenworth. 



34 ELDORADO 

While at Laramie we met Kit Carson, the noted 
hunter, trapper, Indian fighter and chief guide to Gen. 
John C. Fremont in his explorations in the Far West. 
Three years later T traveled with him for several 
months, of which I will speak hereafter. Most of his 
life had been spent in the Indian country, and at that 
time his home was at Taos, N. M. A book entitled the 
"Prairie Flower" had been published, giving an ex- 
aggerated and highly colored account of his life and 
exploits, embodying more of the features of a novel 
than a truthful narrative. Being of a modest, retiring- 
disposition, and not seeking notoriety, he was not at all 
pleased with the publication. He was best and widest 
known of all the old mountaineers, many of whom, 
from Lewis and Ck/ke to Bridger and Shambo, will 
always have an honorable place in the history of the 
frontier life that has led American civilization. 

We found the Sioux tribe of Indians in manv re- 
spects to be far superior to the Pawnees. Intellectually 
and physically they were the finest body of Indians we 
met with on the plains. They were more cleanly in their 
habits and possessed large bands of horses and a few 
cattle, and showed more evidences of some of the better 
habits of civilization than any other tribe. Occasionally 
a white man was seen among them with a numerous 
family. It was a noticeable fact that the Indians near- 
est the borders of our western settlements acquired the 
worst vices of the whites and retrograded instead of 
advancing by the contact. Only under these conditions 
is it strictlv true that "the only good Indian is a dead 
Indian." The Sioux w^ere brave, adventurous and re- 
served, neither manifesting nor encouraging familiar- 
ity. The males dressed in their native costumes, but 



ELDORADO 35 

the red blankets furnished by the government were con- 
spicuous among the women. On one occasion a large 
party mounted on ponies, apparently returning from a 
hunt, was seen approaching in the distance, and as they 
came near they made some hostile demonstrations by 
whooping and flourishing their bows and arrows. They 
rode to the head of our train and, dismounting, seized 
the leaders by their bridles, thereby stopping the en- 
tire train. Captain Hardy, with a few others, went 
forward and after a short parley with them, they spread 
a blanket upon the ground and we placed some food 
and a few presents upon it, such as we had brought 
with us expressly to distribute among the Indians, for 
in such emergencies we believed it better to conciliate 
them by friendly treatment than to make them enemies, 
as others had sometimes done. After leaving Laramie 
to enter the Black Hills, feed became scarce, in conse- 
quence of the large number of trains preceding us, and 
we were compelled to break up into smaller parties. 
Ours consised of ten men and four wagons. The only 
physician. Dr. Kirkbride, was one of our number. The 
onlv feed to be obtained for our stock was bunch or 
buffalo grass, and that, at times, only at long intervals. 
Not infrequently we found it necessary to leave our 
wagons by the roadside and take our animals one or 
two miles to find grazing. 



36 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER HI. 



STiLIv AMONG INDIANS. 

In parting- company with our companions, with whom 
we had traveled nearly one-third of our journey, friend- 
ly ties were severed, possilily a few to he renewed after 
many months when our destination should be reached 
at the "diggins," but the majority, taking different 
routes and "cutoffs" after reaching the western slope 
of the Rockies, were seen no more. 

Many died from sickness on the forepart of the trip, 
and before the end v/as reached many others succumbed 
to fatigue, worn down by the hardships they endured. 
Some belated emigrants who were caught in the snows 
of the Sierras perished before relief could reach them. 
A few were killed by the Indians. 

The Utes were found more crafty and treacherous 
than any other tribe we had encountered. These In- 
dians occupied the region around Salt Lake and a large 
portion of what is now the State of Utah. They had 
imbibed to some extent the spirit of some of the Mor- 
mon leaders toward those not of their faith. The 
Blackfeet, Arapahoe, Snake and Crow Indians were 
friendly. Whenever they went upon the warpath they 
felt at least that they had grievances to redress. There 
were those among the various tribes who, like their 



EI.DORADO 37 

more enlightened and civilized brothers, would steal 
horses and commit other crimes. Against such we 
had constantly to be on our guard. 

A peculiar characteristic of Indian life was their im- 
providence. They were often driven to such an ex- 
tremity for food that they ate every kind of insect and 
every creeping thing however repulsive. Snails, liz- 
ards, ants and even lice I have often seen eaten with 
apparent relish. Worms, grasshoppers and young 
wasps taken "fresh" from the comb were considered a 
great luxury. This was especially true of the Digger 
Indians, and can be witnessed even in California at the 
present time. Since the passing of the bufifalo and 
other game, which, previous to the large emigration to 
Oregon and California, were so abundant, their con- 
dition has been pitiable in the extreme. In certain lo- 
calities where only acorns and pine nuts can be ob- 
tained these, for a portion of the year, form their only 
food. At other seasons they live on seeds and roots. 

While on the Platte an invitation was given and ac- 
cepted to dine with a friendly Indian who had recov- 
ered some stolen property. A feast of honor, a dog 
feast, was being prepared upon our arrival. The dog 
was in a large pot over the fire in the middle of the 
lodge, and after we were seated upon bufifalo robes it 
was immediately served up in large wooden bowls, one 
of which was handed to each. The flesh had some- 
thing the flavor of mutton. One of the party feeling 
something move behind him, looked around and found 
he had take his scat among a litter of fat young pup- 
pies. Not wishing to be nice in such matters and let 
his prejudices interfere with the hospitality extended 
by the host, he silently continued his meal. 



38 ELDORADO 

Our stay of two days at the hospitable quarters at 
Fort Laramie had broken the monotony of our journey 
and somewhat improved the condition of our animals, 
which were worn down by long continued travel on 
sandy roads, and the growing scarcity of the grass, 
which formed their entire sustenance. Immediately 
upon entering the Black Hills we found a better supply 
of fuel, consisting of scrubby pine and sage brush. The 
country for 150 miles from Fort Laramie to Willow 
Springs was broken by ridges and narrow valleys. 
Here water could be obtained only at long intervals. 
The north fork of the Platte was not visible 
from our route for that entire distance. The 
third day out, a young man and I were riding 
on horseback a mile or two in advance of the 
train, and after passing over a dividing ridge 
we came suddenly upon a party of about a dozen 
Cheyenne Indians returning from a hunt, all mounted 
upon ponies. They were armed mainly with bows and 
arrows, having only two or three guns. They quickly 
gathered around and halted us. After a short confer- 
ence among themselves they inquired by signs our des- 
tination. We laughingly told them as well as we could 
in their sign language that we were looking for Indians 
and wanted to settle in their country, and also at the 
same time that we belonged to a train of wagons not 
far in our rear. This they no doubt believed, as we had 
no guns, only our revolvers. After a further confab 
among themselves, whether hostile or friendly to us 
we could not understand, one Indian galloped his pony 
to the top of the ridge over which we had just passed 
apparently to verify our statement. Fortunately our 
wagons were no great distance away, and when he re- 



ELDORADO 39 

turned they hastily "how-howed," shaked hands and 
rode quietly off. Had our train not been in sight we 
might have been at least deprived of our horses and 
whatever else they could have appropriated. 

Upon arriving at Willow Springs, a noted camping 
ground for emigrants, where ordinarily there was plen- 
ty of grass and water, we found an excellent spring of 
cold water, but the feed had been entirely consumed. 
We reached here after an unusually long day's travel 
in a cold rain-storm as night was approaching. We 
were now at an altitude of 6,000 feet, near the base of 
the snowy range of the Rocky Mountains. The neces- 
sity of providing for our animals was the first con- 
sideration, and two of our men were sent to search for 
grass, which they succeeded in finding about one mile 
from our camp. 

We had no means of building a fire, and our usual 
meal of coffee, pan-cakes and bacon was omitted. Af- 
ter corralling our wagons near the spring, our party 
was divided, part accompanying the stock to the grazing 
ground to stand guard, and the others to remain with the 
wagons. I was one whose lot it was to help guard the 
stock. Each one of our company was provided with a 
full suit of rubber, which we found a great protection 
from the frequent rains and in night watches. As In- 
dians had been seen watching our progress during the 
day, our captain was apprehensive that we might have 
trouble with them before morning, as the dark and 
stormy night was favorable to their approach. His 
fears were not unfounded, for about 12 o'clock they 
crept as near as possible without being discovered, and 
by shaking a buffalo robe stampeded all our horses 
except a few that were picketed or fettered. 



40 ELDORADO 

Fortunately for us the runaways went in the direc- 
tion of our wagons, and by early morning- they were 
all gathered in without loss. A few discharges from 
our revolvers had the tendency to frighten away the 
Indians. 

From this point to Independence Rock, where the 
Sweetwater river joins the north fork of the Platte 
a distance of fifty miles, the country had a desolate ap- 
pearance. No game was seen, except now and then a 
half-starved jackral)bit flitting through the stunted 
sage brush. On these bare and dreary plains that in- 
teresting rodent, the prairie dog, finds a congenial 
home. They live in towns laid out with considerable 
regularity with well traveled streets and avenues, and it 
is a curious and funny sight when approaching one of 
their little cities to see them playing and gamboling 
like so many kittens, and upon any unusual noise, in- 
stead of disappearing, those in their houses or burrows 
will instantly appear, and all will stand perfectly erect 
and still, gazing at the intruder. They are about the 
size of the common gray squirrel, and are not easily 
frightened. Several attempts were made by our boys 
to capture one, but without avail. Several were shot 
but they would either fall into their holes, or be drag- 
ged in by their comrades. These little towns abound 
along the Platte, and extend to the Sweetwater 
river. In riding after buffalo and other game, great 
caution was necessary to avoid these underground bur- 
rowings, as they might prove serious both to man and 
beast. 

This is the region of extensive alkali beds and pois- 
onous grass. In certain places the ground was covered 
with a white crustation of saleratus, caused by the 



ELDORADO 41 

evaporation of water strongly impregnated with alkali. 
It was sometimes used by emigrants for bread making 
and found to be a good substitute for the article of 
commerce. 

The grass that grew around certain springs of water 
proved fatal to horses and cattle, evidently containing 
some mineral poison. Remedies were sometimes 
promptly administered that saved the lives of the poi- 
soned animals, but in a short time they became per- 
fectly hairless. We were fortunate at the commence- 
ment of our journey in securing a printed Mormon 
guide-book, which enabled us to avoid many mistakes 
that fell to the lot of those less favored. The Mor- 
mons, under the leadership of Brigham. Young, had 
preceded us to Salt Lake two years before, and the 
guide-book was intended for those of like faith who 
were to follow. 

Our three days' journey from Willow Spring to 
Independence Rock was imeventful, save as it con- 
vinced us that a change in our mode of travel 
was necessary, owing to heavy, sandy roads and 
scarcity of feed. Our animals were becoming so thin 
and weak as to cause some anxiety. We had already 
been traveling in "sections," and it now became 
evident that we must divide into still smaller parties. 

Associated with our camping ground at Indepen- 
dence Rock are memories of thrilling adventures and 
pioneer experiences. The lines of travel to Oregon 
and California converged at this point, that from Mis- 
souri and. Arkansas, by way of Forts Independence 
and Kearney, and that from the Northwest, via Council 
Rluflfs and the north bank of the Platte. One hun- 
dred miles further west, after leaving the South Pass 



42 ELDORADO 

they diverged, the Oregon route going to the right and 
that to Salt Lake and CaHfornia to the left. 

Gen. John C. Fremont, one of the most heroic figures 
in the past generation in the history of frontier life 
and in the field of explorations, had some of his most 
notable experiences in this locality, while in the employ 
of the government as topographical engineer and bot- 
anist, in the year 1843-4. He ascended the highest 
peak of the Rocky Mountains visible from this point, 
13,570 feet above the waters of the Gulf of Mexico 
and since known as Fremont's Peak, on the highest 
point of which the bee was caught and pressed be- 
tween the leaves of his journal. Rock Independence is 
isolated and of granite formation, 500 or 600 yards in 
length and 40 in height. Everywhere within six or 
eight feet of the ground, where the surface is sufficient- 
ly smooth, and in some places 60 or 80 feet above, the 
rock is inscribed with the names of travelers. Many 
of these are famous in the history of this country, and 
some are well known to science. Names of traders, 
missionaries among the savages, and emigrants, in- 
cluding those of our own party, can be seen there, some 
partially obliterated, but the greater portion impervious 
to the storms that beat against them. That of General 
Fremont and the large cross he imprinted upon the 
smooth surface of this remarkable rock were written 
with tar and melted rubber. 

The surrounding country was bare of vegetation, not 
a tree was in sight except in the distance along the 
slopes or in the canyons of the mountains.. 

The great evaporation on the sandy soil of this ele- 
vated plain and the alkali or saline efflorescences which 
whitened the ground and shone like lakes glistening 



ELDORADO 43 

in the sun, made a soil wholly unfit for cultivation and 
gave it a most leprous appearance. 

Soon after reaching Independence Rock early in the 
afternoon, a party was formed, including our physi- 
cian, Dr. Kirkbride, to visit the famous Devil's Gate, 
about five miles distant. Our "guide book'' described it 
as a place where the Sweetwater cuts through a granite 
rock. The length of the pass is 300 or 400 yards and 
the width 35 yards. The walls of rock are vertical 
and 400 feet high, and the stream in the gate is almost 
entirely choked with the masses of rock which have 
fallen from above, and through which the water rushes 
with a deafening roar. It is certainly a wonderful 
freak of nature and well repaid the visit. 

Very soon after the return of the party, Dr. Kirk- 
bride was taken suddenly and violently ill with 
the cholera. He administered his own remedies and 
gave directions to an attendant until he became uncon- 
scious, but died before morning, about eight hours 
after his attack. This was the only death that occurred 
in our train. Our facilities for burial were very limit- 
ed, but we did the best our circumstances permitted 
and reverently and sorrowfully committed his body to 
a shallow grave, with a blanket and buffalo robe for a 
winding sheet. Dr. Kirkbride was about 30 years of 
age, and by his kindly, helpful ways had endeared him- 
self to all of our party. He had joined us on the lower 
Platte, and we knew nothing of his family or address, 
only that he was from Iowa, so we had no means of 
advising his friends of his death. As I passed that 
way three years later I looked for his grave, but was 
unable to identify the spot where we had laid him. 

We had now been two and a half months on our jour- 



44 EI.DORADO 

ney to the land of gold, and it was less than half ac- 
complished. Five hundred miles la}' between us and 
the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake, and nearly 1,500 
before reaching our destination. After carefully consid- 
ering the situation, it was decided to leave our wagons 
and construct pack-saddles, making the burden as light 
as possible for our animals. Their weakened condition 
and the increasing heaviness of the roads and short- 
ness of feed seemed to make this an absolute neces- 
sity. 

If a house or barn, or a bridge, was to be built, we 
had men who could have gone to work intelligently, but 
a pack-saddle — "that was a horse of another color." 
But '"where there is a will there is a way," and necessity 
was our "mother of invention." Most of the boys had 
never seen a pack-saddle. A couple of us had watched 
Kit Carson mending his at Laramie and we had to take 
the inftiative. Every one was ready to do his part 

As w^e would have no further use for our wagons we 
decided, after due deliberation, to cut the spokes from 
the wheels for saddles, and pack our cooking utensils 
and sufBcient provisions to supply our needs to the 
Mormon settlement. Our wagons were made of the 
best material expressly for the trip, and we little ex- 
pected to be compelled to use them for such a purpose, 
or to leave them for fuel either for Indians or emi- 
grants coming after us whose necessities might not be 
as great as our own. 

Two crosses, two feet in length and about fifteen 
inches apart, with a board beneath the lower extremi- 
ties to rest upon either side of the animals' backs, and 
the upper projections upon which to hang our blankets, 
frying pans, cofifee pots, etc., was what we evolved 



EIvDORADO 45 

from our limited knowledge and common sense 
to constitute a pack-saddle. Of course we were to 
ride ''shank's horses" in the future, as we had mainly 
in the past. In fact, we had simply become human 
walking machines. 

Many things that brought to our minds sweet 
thoughts of home, mother, sisters and sweethearts had 
to be left with our wrecked vehicles, even guns, cloth- 
ing, boots, shoes and books, but the little Bibles and 
keepsakes — never ! Then it was goodby Independence 
Rock, and "Ho, for Salt Lake;" "Now for a gay old 
time :" "You bet," were the cheerful exclamations as 
we took up our line of march. 

There was no murnuiring, shirking or complaining 
during all the journey that tried men's (and women's) 
souls, or wishing we had done this, or had done that 
There was plenty of other "sand" in our little company 
l)esides that through which we plodded day after day. 



46 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER IV. 



PACK SADDLES AND PERILS. 

Before bidding a final adieu to the localitx- around 
which cluster some of the most eventful incidents in 
overland immigration to the Pacific Coast, I will refer 
briefly to one or two incidents that make this particular 
portion of the route especially memorable. 

The fact that during the decade from 1840 to 1850 
not less than 75,000 emigrants, at a conservative esti- 
mate, passed this point is worthy of note. 

Previous to reaching this point dififerent routes were 
followed, thereby providing better facilities for graz- 
ing, but at the upper crossing of the Platte, notably in 
the great emigration of '49-'50, the feed became ex- 
hausted long before the later travelers reached this 
part of the journey. 

We witnessed many sorrowful evidences of the sick- 
nesses and misfortunes of those of the previous 
year, in the numerous graves, the bones of dead ani- 
mals, and remnants of discarded property. History 
does not furnish a parallel to the excitement and ter- 
rible experiences of many of those of the 50,000 who 
rushed to the mines of California in 1849-50. Know- 
ing the hardships of the emigrants of the preceding 
vear we regarded ourselves as having comparatively 



ELDORADO 47 

little of which to complain. Probably no part of the 
journey presented a more discouraging aspect than 
around Independence Rock, where many were com- 
pelled to leave both animals and wagons, and travel 
with what they could carry upon their backs. I have 
referred to Gen. J. C. Fremont's explorations as United 
States topographical engineer in the years 1843-4 in 
this region. The following incident not only illus- 
trates the indiflference to danger in the discharge of 
duty that characterized frontier men, but shows some- 
what the character of the high altitudes as one ap- 
proaches the head waters of the streams that take their 
rise in the Rocky Mountains. 

At the junction of the Sweetwater and North Platte 
the waters pass between perpendicular rocks from 300 
to 500 feet high, forming a narrow' dark canyon seven 
or eight miles long, with numerous falls and danger- 
ous rapids. 

In pursuance of his instructions to make a thorough 
survey of the Platte river, General Fremont entered the 
canyon with a rubber boat with five men, his instru- 
ments for taking observations, blankets, books, papers 
and journal of his expedition, etc. After passing several 
dangerous falls in safety, he writes in his narrative : 

'"To go back was impossible. Before us the cataract 
was a sheet of foam and shut up in the chasm of the 
rocks, which in some places seemed to meet overhead. 
The roar of the waters was deafening. We pushed 
off again, but after making a little distance the force 
of the current became too great for the men on shore 
and two of them let go of the rope attached to the 
stern of the boat. Lajeunesse, the third man. hung on 
and was jerked head foremost into the river from a 



48 EI.DORADO 

rock about twelve feet high, and down the boat shot 
like an arrow — Basil following us in the rapid current 
and exerting all his strength to keep in midchannel, his 
head only seen occasionally, like a black spot in the 
white foam. He owed his life to his skill as a swim- 
mer, and I determined to take all on board and trust 
to skill and fortune to reach the other end in safety. 
We placed ourselves on our knees, with short paddles 
in our hands, and again commenced our rapid descent. 
We cleared rock after rock and shot past fall after fall ; 
becoming familiar with the danger and singing, or 
rather shouting, we dashed along, when suddenly the 
boat struck a concealed rock immediately at the foot of 
a fall, which hurled her over in an instant. Three of 
my men could not swim and my first feeling was to as- 
sist them and save some of our effects, but a sharp 
concussion or two convinced me that I had not yet 
saved myself. A few strokes brought me into an eddy 
and I landed on a pile of rocks. Looking around I saw 
Mr. Preuss had gained the shore on the same side, 
and a little climbing and swimming soon brought him 
to mv side. On the opposite side, against the rocks, 
lay the boat bottomside up, and Lambert was in the act 
of saving Descoteaux, whom he had grasped by the 
hair and who could not swim. Each man showed cour- 
age and generosity in this danger. For a hundred yards 
below, the current was covered with floating books 
boxes, bales and blankets, and so strong was the 
stream that even our heavy instruments in cases kept 
on the surface, and the sextant circle and the long black 
box of the telescope were in view at once. All our 
books, almost everv record of the journey and registers 




GEN. JOHN C. FREMONT 
( From an old print ) 



EIvDORADO 49 

of astronomical and barometrical observations had been 
lost in a moment." 

A part of the articles mentioned above were recov- 
ered, but the greater portion were not. General Fre- 
mont had on his expeditions, a mountain howitzer and 
from forty to fifty men well armed, as a defense against 
the Indians. In crossing the Sierra Nevada in '44 
he was compelled to leave the howitzer in the snow, 
where one-half of his stock and a number of his men 
lost their lives. The last food eaten before reaching 
Sutter's fort on that occasion was pea soup, dog and 
mule meat. 

I had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with 
General Fremont, who was familiarly known as the 
"Great Path-finder;" also with some of his most noted 
mountaineer guides, of whom I shall speak later on. 

It may not be generally known that Mrs. Fremont 
and daughter are at present residing in Los Angeles 
In 1856. when her husband ran for president of the 
United States, her name was familiar in every home 
in the land as "our Jessie Benton Fremont." She is a 
woman greatly beloved by all who have the pleasure of 
her acquaintance. She wrote the life of her distin- 
guished husband and has done riiuch other literary 
work. Her father, the Hon. Thornas H. Benton of 
Missouri, was for thirty years a leading member of 
the United States Senate and at one time was urged 
for the Democratic presidential nomination. Mrs 
Fremont, in her quiet home, is alwavs glad to welcome 
anv of the old friends of the General. 

Our first dav at packing was one not easilv for- 
gotten. Tt proved interesting and tried the patience of 
hnth man and beast. Our girths, or cinches, were of 



50 ELDORADO 

the simplest and most primitive kind, and anyone that 
ever had experience in packing, knows the difficulty of 
keeping the saddle in place, even with the best Spanish 
hair cinches. Ours would as often be on the withers, 
hips or underneath the animals, as in the proper place. 
The result of this state of things was severe friction 
causing badly galled and sore backs. By a little ex- 
perience, patience and determination, those difficulties 
were in time overcome. 

Being no longer impeded in our journey by our wag- 
ons, we were enabled to make much better progress 
and obtain feed for our stock at much less sacrifice of 
time and trouble. The change proved a decided ad- 
vantage to our animals, which had become thin and 
weak. They, being our main dependence, received the 
very best care possible. We fully realized that it was 
far better to walk without carrying blankets, cooking 
utensils and "grub," as many others had done — espe- 
cially those who had started with ox or cow teams — 
than to assume those burdens. We became accustomed 
to that sort of thing in the mines later on, when it was 
the almost universal custom. 

We had no tents or covering of any kind, except in 
good weather the blue skv and in foul weather the 
clouds. This was our condition for many months ; not 
even a tree for shelter. When we encountered cold, 
driving storms, not alcie of rain, but of sleet a'ld snow 
we aimed to camp where fuel could be obtained a^d 
kept our fires reDle^ished during the niVht. and while 
exnosinp- one side, dried the other, while joke and song 
passed abound. 

Sometimes a sudden stonn would come down the 
mountain range, when, after a wearisome day's march. 



ELDORADO 51 

all would be in a profound sleep, and the rain patter- 
ing in cur faces or our water soaked blankets would 
awaken us. Under those conditions a fire was out of 
the question, and we had to make the best of the cir- 
cumstances. Nevertheless, we continued in the best of 
health and spirits. 

From this time until our arrival in the Salt Lake 
Valley we ceased to stand guard, as the cnly Indians 
we met with were friendly Snakes and Crows. 

As we approached the South Pass, through which all 
the travel to the Pacific Coast had to go, we entered a 
gradually ascending wooded canyon, crossing and re- 
crossing many times tributaries to the Sweetwater 
rive'' caused by the melting snows and numerous 
springs above. The many cascades and waterfalls 
made most delightful music to our ears, weary and 
duststained as we were, and was in striking contrast to 
what we had experienced ever since we began our jour- 
ney. From the elevated open spaces we could look 
back upon the bare and barren plains below. 

The change to the cold, sparkling mountain water 
and green patches of the wholesome and nutritious 
grass was a most grateful one to our animals as well as 
to ourselves. 

Two days' travel up the gradual and not very pre- 
cipitous side of the Rockies brought us to the pass, 
which we reached on Juh- 3. A light snow storm pre- 
vailed during the day. This depression in the mount- 
ains which separates the waters of the Atlantic and the 
I^acific is about twenty miles wide from north to south, 
and, with some slight elevations, it presents the appear- 
ance of a level plain with towering mountains covered 
with perpetual snow on both sides. There are no trees 



52 ELDORADO 

and scarcely any vegetation. It has an elevation of 
7,000 feet above the sea. After arriving at the summit 
about five miles travel brought us to Pacific Springs, 
the first waters reached on the western slope, where we 
camped for the night, with scant feed for our stock, 
but full of patriotic zeal for the morrow's celebration 

We were early awakened by one of our party firing 
his revolver and he was soon followed by others. Then 
came three cheers for the flag, three short speeches 
and the singing of "America" and "From Greenland's 
Icy Mountain," after which we partook of our usual 
morning repast, alreadv provided by our faithful and 
experienced cook. 

A large number of trains were camped in the vicinitx' 
of Pacific Springs, principally from Arkansas and Mis- 
souri, and long lines of "prairie schooners" could be 
seen drawn mainly by oxen and mules. Often three or 
four ]3air were attached to one wagon, for the animals 
were worn down with hunger and fatigue. It was a 
case of the "survival of the fittest." 

A few were taking the old Oregon trail by way of 
Fort Hall, but a larger number were going bv wav of 
"Sublett's Cut-ofif" to Salt Lake and California. This 
was said to be a saving of distance over the older Mor- 
mon route, besides otTering interesting features that 
had an attraction for a certain class of travelers. These 
were such natural curiosities as the Steamboat and 
Soda Springs, the former constantlv i)ufiing like a Mis- 
sissippi steamer, and the latter bubbling and sparkling 
as it issued from a crevice in a rock, with the appear- 
ance and taste of soda. 

The Sublett's Cut-off route crosses Rear river 
(which empties into the Great Salt Lake) nearer its 



ElvDORADO 53 

source than did the JMonnon route by way of Fort 
Bridger, and was said to be less dangerous in crossing. 
Bear river is some 400 miles long, takes its rise in the 
melting snows of the Wind River mountains to the 
north of the South Pass, and as it approaches Salt 
Lake ,it runs through wooded canyons in the Wasatch 
range, and is very rapid and turbulent. 

Those destined for Oregon travelefl the same trail 
over which Fremont passed in 1844, and later the 
early pioneers, to whom the government offered 
640 acres of land to settle in the then almost unknown 
region. The perils from hostile Indians and lurking 
dangers did not deter them from the undertaking. 
They organized companies and with their wives and 
children, cattle and horses, farming implements, seeds 
and fruit trees (packed in moss and by great care kept 
alive), they started on the long journey. From such an 
adventurous and sturdy class, and from such small be- 
ginnings Oregon has grown into one of the 1 eading 
commercial as well as agricultural States of the Union. 
The first apples I saw in California came to San Fran- 
cisco from Oregon by boat in 1850, and retailed readily 
at $1 each. The present generation, the sons and 
daughters of the Golden West, should never fail to 
honor the memory of those who endured the toil and 
sacrifice to make homes for themselves and their chil- 
dren, to extend American civilization and to plant the 
educational and religious institutions, that make for 

Wlien a bo}' I was fond of reading accounts of 
freedom and righteousness on the shores of the Pacific 
travelers to distant lands, especially among the native 
tribes, and among the most interesting and instructive 
narrations was that of Lewis and Clarke, who were sent 



54 ELDORADO 

out by the government to explore the vast territory 
purchased by President Jefferson from Napoleon in 
1803 for $15,000,000, extending from the Gulf of Mex- 
ico to the Pacific Ocean. These adventurous travelers 
and explorers worked up the Missouri in small boats 
for 2,600 miles ; then, on wild horses, which they had 
caught, they crossed through the mountains to the 
streams flowing into the Columbia, which they fol- 
lowed to the sea. On the way they met many an In- 
dian tribe that had never seen a white man. Two riv- 
ers preserve upon our maps the names of these ex- 
plorers, being two principal branches that form the 
Columbia. 

From our camping grounds at Pacific Springs the 
great elevation gave a magnificent view of the sur- 
rounding country for a long distance. The mountain 
range to the north, with Fremont's Peak rising over 
6,000 feet above the summit of that pass, and the moun- 
tains to the south covered with perpetual snow, the 
Cascades to the northwest, through which "rolls the 
Columbia to the Pacific," to the southwest the blue 
summits of the Wasatch range bordering the valley of 
the great Salt Lake, the broad expanse of plain and 
river, made a picture that would satisfy the most ardent 
lover of the grand and picturesque in nature. John C. 
Calhoun crossed the Alleghanies on horseback, and up- 
on arriving at the summit and viewing the magnificent 
panorama spread out before him turned to his colored 
servant and exclaimed: 'Tf any man ever tells you 
there is no God, tell him he is a liar." But the Alle- 
ghanies are mole-hills compared to those I have men- 
tioned as seen from Pacific Springs. The view far sur- 
passes anything seen east of the Mississippi river. 



EI.DORADO 55 

Sleeping in the open air in these high altitudes, in 
clear weather, with the highly rarified atmosphere, the 
heavens luminous with its myriads of brilliant stars, 
produced a feeling of exhilaration never experienced 
under other conditions. We even imagined the man 
in the moon took off his hat to us. With the thoughts 
of home as we lay in our blankets, and of our mothers' 
parting benediction, and the long time before we could 
hear from them or they from us, there came thoughts 
of the Heavenly Father who watches over all, and in 
reverent silence we would repeat "Our Father who art 
in Heaven," and that sweet prayer of innocent child- 
hood, "Now I lay me down to sleep." 

After resting and refreshing ourselves until the 
morning of the 5th we decided to follow the Mormon 
route by way of Green river. Fort Bridger and Echo 
canyon. 

By washing our horses' backs whenever the packs 
were removed they became much improved, and after 
the needed rest we were ready to resume our journey. 

Our meat supply, even of jerked buffalo, had for 
some days been exhausted. Our only food, except now 
and then a rabbit, brought down by a revolver, was 
flour, coffee, sugar and a remnant of hard tack, that 
had bid defiance to time and weather. Ten miles brought 
us to the Little Sandy, one of the tributaries of Green 
river, which unites with the Grand to form the Colo- 
rado, that flows into the Gulf of California. The 
Little Sandy takes its name from the sandy soil 
through which it runs, being a small stream of clear 
water with strong current. It was bordered with low 
bushes and willows, among which were verdant spots 
of fine srrass. We remained here for the rest of the 



56 EIvDORADO 

day, with no loss to ourselves or animals, as we found 
by consulting our Mormon guide that a day's travel 
lay between this place and the Big Sandy, which would 
be our next camping ground. 

The distribution of the large number of trains at Pa- 
cific Springs over the three routes I have mentioned, 
was of great benefit to all concerned. There had been 
a marked abatement of illness among the emigrants 
after leaving the Platte bottoms, and no case of cholera 
occurred after crossing the Rocky Mountains, so far 
as I know. iVevious to this time it had been a gradual 
ascent for the i.ooo miles traveled, and we had to con- 
tend with sandy roads, driving storms and sickness. 
From now as we entered the Great Basin extending 
over J ,000 miles, reaching from the Rockies to the 
Sierra Nevada it was a gentle descent, greatly appre- 
ciated by our faithful beasts. 

Leaving the Little Sandy on July 6, nmch refreshed, 
we pursued our way over an open, sand}- ])]ain twenty 
miles to the Big Sandy. It was "Little Sandy, Big 
Sandy, sandy plains and sandy roads," but the traveling 
was good, and we made camp on the bank of a stream 
of beautiful, clear water and plenty of fuel of dried 
willows. We had seen the last of the buffalo chips. 
After a bath in the Sandy, we enjoyed a good night's 
sleep in the piu'e atmosphere under a star-lit sky. 



ELDORADO 57 



CHAPTER V. 



ANOTHKR vSTAGE. 

On the morning of July 7 we arose greatly refreshed 
after our bath of the previous night in the clear waters 
of the Big Sandy and a sound sleep in the cool, open 
air. The country around was glowing and bright, and 
all the mountain peaks were gleaming like silver. The 
view was truly magnificent, and, indeed, we needed 
something to repay us for the long, toilsome journe}- 
of more than a thousand miles. 

We left camp at an early hour, and, after traveling a 
short distance, we met a party of Arapahoe Indians 
who informed us they belonged to a part}- who had 
just come into the vallev from the mountains to the 
eastward, where they had been hunting and gathering a 
supply of food. We soon came in sight of their village, 
which was built of crude and hastily constructed shacks, 
composed largelv of green willows, which grew in 
abundance along the margin of the stream. As we ap- 
l)roached the village, suddenly a single horseman came 
riding toward us at full speed, followed by another, 
and another in ra])id succession. All came whooping 
and charging down upon us arnied with bows and ar- 
rows and a few guns and lances. Some of them were 
.entirely naked, and others were partly dressed, with 



58 ELDORADO 

painted faces, as was their custom when prepared for 
war. Thinking probably we were the vanguards of a 
larger train, they evidently desired to make a demon- 
stration of their numbers and prowess. It looked for a 
time as though our little party would be gobbled up by 
a hostile and overpowering savage foe. They circled 
around us, flourishing their weapons, while we main- 
tained a quiet indifference to their presence, merely 
saluting as we led our little pack train along the road. 
We displayed no arms ourselves, and when they no- 
ticed our dust-stained appearance and the dilapidated 
condition of our animals, they seemed to comprehend 
that we were not "foemen worthy of their steel." The 
whole calvalcade rode with us to their village, which 
we soon reached. Captain Hardy, who still remained 
with us, and made one of our party of ten, had re- 
tained a few trinkets from our abandoned stores at In- 
dependence Rock, where our wagons had been left. 
These were displayed, and apparently greatly pleased 
the few squaws and children in the village. The trink- 
ets were quickly exchanged for some jerked meat and a 
quarter of fresh antelope. 

As all Indians are not good Indians, even if they 
have a "recommend," and as we were near the boun- 
daries of the Shoshones, Arapahoes, Snakes, Crows 
and Utes, who were often on the w^ar-path, we were 
glad to put distance between ourselves and our late 
"friends." The latter tribe, in their experience and 
association with the "destroying angels" of the Mor- 
mon prophet, in addition to their native cunning and 
cruelty, had learned from their white "Christian broth- 
er" the higher art of murder when no provocation ex- 
isted. Speaking of these "recommends," I am re- 



ELDORADO 59 

minded of the following incident related by a fellow 
miner, long ago in California: "When I was working 
with my father," said he, "mining on Foster's bar, in 
Yuba county, in 185 1-2, an Indian brought into camp 
a 'recommend' that read : Xancicus is a good Indian 
when he behaves himself, and when he don't behave, 
kick him.' This good Indian had a pretty considerable 
jag on, and one drink of Foster's bar "lightning 
straight" made him ripe for a fight, and in less time 
than it takes to tell it a miner drew a bead on him that 
made his 'recommend' good as wheat." While hith- 
erto we had no very serious trouble with redskins, 
nevertheless, we were constantly on our guard. 

Two days from the Big Sandy, over a level plain, 
along the base of the Snowy range, brought us to the 
banks of the Green river. A large number of emi- 
grants were here encamped for the double pur- 
pose of recruiting their animals and making the 
passage of the river. It was interesting to note that 
the stock was about equally divided between horses, 
mules and oxen. With the exception of getting foot- 
sore, oxen appeared to stand the journey about as well 
as horses or mules, while all were eaten in emergen- 
cies. Oxen, even when they died from hunger and 
fatigue, were preferred, except by the Indians, who 
had no choice. 

Green river at this crossing is about 1 50 yards wide, 
with a swift current and considerable depth. There 
being no trees on the bank to which ropes could be 
attached, the only method of crossing was in a small 
boat that had been constructed by some of the earlier 
emigrants. The packs and contents of wagons were 
transported by that means at considerable risk and 



6o EIvDORADO 

sometimes at serious loss, as the boat was somewhat an 
"uncertain quantity" in the rapid current, going 
quite a httle distance down before making the opposite 
shore. One animal would be taken in tow by the boat 
and others, driven in his wake, were compelled to 
swim. Several lives, both of men and animals, had been 
lost previous to our arrival. We made the passage of 
the river with our packs and the animals in safetv. A 
short distance below the crossing the river enters a nar- 
row gorge between high, perpendicular rocks, through 
a spur of the mountains, and the precipitous fall of the 
water among the rocks can be heard a long distance. 

It was here on the Green river that Kit Carson, when 
on one of his hunting and trapping expeditions, had a 
controversy with a French mountaineer by the name 
of Descateaux, who denounced the American govern- 
ment in insulting language. It was about the time of 
the close of the war with Mexico, when an immense 
territory was being ceded to the United States. Car- 
son was a patriotic American and always stood ready 
to resent an insult to the Hag. He at once challenged 
the Frenchman to combat, and with their rifles they at 
once mounted their ponies, and, riding about twenty 
paces apart, wheeled and fired. Carson's shot broke 
the left arm and plowed along the ribs of the bully 
The quarrel was settled, the flag vindicated and friend- 
ship renewed. Carson was true and faithful in his 
friendship, modest in his demeanor but fearless and 
foremost in times of danger. 

Our next objective point, as mentioned in our guide 
book, was Fort Bridger, fifty miles distant from Green 
river. Before starting, however, the third morning 
after our arrival (we had to wait oiu" turn before we 



EIvDORADO 61 

could be ferried across) Captain Hardy suggested to 
me that we purchase the boat and allow the remainder 
of our outfit to go forward while we would remain a 
couple of days, as he expressed it, "and make a nice 
little stake." To this I assented, and a bargain was 
soon closed. The price paid was $50. The ownership 
of the boat had descended, not "from father to son," 
but by purchase from the one who first constructed it 
in regular succession to the present ownership. 

I would give soniething to know what ever became 
of that unique relic of emigration of fifty years ago. 
Tf it was replaced b\- something more modern and 
turned adrift from the place where it so faithfully 
served its day and generation could it have made the 
passage of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado and 
reached the waters of the Gulf of California or was it 
wrecked by the way, as so many of those were whom 
it served and helped to reach the land of gold in '49 
and '50? 

The boys bade us goodbye, and started on their jour- 
ney, while we took up the paddles and commenced our 
.=;elf-assumed task. At the end of two days' hard work 
we sold our boat. After taking account of stock and 
of profit and loss we found ourselves $50 ahead. 
Shouldering our blankets and the small amount of 
■'grub" we had retained for our own use. we started to 
overtake our comrades. As we could travel twice the 
distance usually made bv pack animals, we expected to 
reach them on the fourth day. We found them, how- 
ever, at Fort Bridger awaiting our arrival. We were 
congratulated on the result of our little liusiness enter- 
l^rise. Dividing the result of our labor gave $5.00 to 
each man. 



62 ELDORADO 

James Bridger, after whom the fort was named, was 
one of the oldest and most noted hnnters and trappers 
in the Rocky Mountain region. He looked the ideal 
mountainer. He had married a native wife and had 
great influence among the different tribes. He was 
loyal to the interests of Americans, and contributed 
not a little to their safety in passing through their 
country. 

The fort was a small adobe structure of three or 
four rooms, and only by a stretch of the imagination 
could it be called a fort. It was private property and 
in no wise connected with the government. 

A party of Crow Indians was camped here, among 
them a "squaw man" with a numerous family. He in- 
formed me that his oldest son was attending school at 
St. Louis, and was making good progress in his studies. 
He appeared to be a man of intelligence, and appar- 
ently of good habits. 

A southern route up the Arkansas river and crossing 
the mountains near its headwaters, joined the emi- 
grant road to Salt Lake and California at this place. 
It was traveled mainly by pack trains, and to a limited 
extent by "prairie schooners" freighted for Salt Lake. 

We left this fertile spot Julv 12 with some reluct- 
ance. The excellent grazing at no great distance, with 
pure mountain water, made it a little paradise in con- 
trast with most of the country over which we had 
passed. Some unpleasant rumors had reached us of 
trouble with Indians along our route. Before reach- 
ing the fenile canvons in the Wasatch range, sur- 
rounding the vallev of the Great Salt Lake, we tra- 
versed a sterile country, destitute of game (except 
a few jackrabbits), and having but little fuel. 



ELDORADO " 63 

grass or water. The Indians occupying this region 
might properly be called "root diggers." Roots, seeds, 
grass and every living animal thing, lizard, insect or 
worm, they ate. Grasshoppers, which I have seen 
the Diggers of California eat with so much relish, 
would have been a godsend to them. Nearly ap- 
proaching the animal creation, their sole employment 
was to obtain food. 

A great portion of the country then occupied by 
these Indians once abounded in game. We had found 
the buffalo ranging about on the Eastern slope, and 
these vast Western plains were once dotted with bands 
of antelope, but so rapidly had they disappeared within 
a few years that now, as we journeyed along, an occa- 
sional buffalo skull and the decayed bones of antelope 
were all that remained to indicate the abundance of 
animal life that once existed. 

A curious incident occurred one day. Our route 
lay along the end of a spur of the mountain extending 
out into the plain. Here we saw a small column of 
smoke ascending from a depression. Carefully ap- 
proaching the place, a solitary Indian was seen stand- 
ing on the bank of a little creek. He was perfectly 
nude and was gazing thoughtfully at a little fire on 
which stood an earthen pot gently simmering. It was 
filled with the ground squirrels that abound in the lo- 
cality. Pie was a fine, stalwart looking fellow, perhaps 
22 or 2T,. More squirrels and his bow and arrows lav 
near the fire. Evidently greatly alarmed, he vet made 
no effo^-t to run awav, and offered us some of his sauir- 
rels. His bow and arrows were fine snecimens of In- 
dian skill, the arrows tipped with polished stone. 

The Ute Indians were treacherous, and would attack 



64 • ELDORADO 

small parties even when smoking the "pipe of peace" 
with them. Their principal weapons were bows and 
arrows. They had a few guns, but the lack of am- 
munition prevented their use to any great extent. A 
small party having selected an encampment some dis- 
tance from the traveled route in order to obtain food 
for their stock, were attacked by quite a large force of 
Indians. One of the party related the circumstances 
as follows: "T was standing near some sage bushes 
when I heard a rustling among them, and going in the 
direction of the noise, saw an Indian creeping along, 
who, seeing that he was discovered, let fly an arrow 
that just grazed my ear. He then gave a whoop and 
ran, but tumbled down before he could draw another 
arrow from his quiver. One of the boys coming to 
my aid and having a hatchet in his hand, rushed for- 
ward and buried it in his skull, killing him instantly 
The whoop of the now dead Indian brought the 
whole force, and a shower of arrows fell among us. 
I was the first to answer with a rifle shot which 
brought one of the foremost savages off his horse to 
the ground. In the meantime my companions were 
using their rifles to good effect. We were able to get 
behind a row of willows that afforded us some pro- 
tection from the arrows of our assailants, which were 
in most cases turned aside by the branches. After 
firing the second volley of rifie shots the smoke cleared 
awav and I could see we had made more than one 
savage bite the dust. I had my eye on an old man 
who leaped from his pony and took in his arms one 
of his wounded companions who had been shot 
through the leg. Placing him on a horse, he mounted 
his own led the other and rode awav. I could easily 



ELDORADO 65 

have shot him, but when I saw that, I could not find it 
in my heart to do so, but let the old chief carry off his 
wounded comrade in safety. As we emerged from our 
shelter, all that could be seen of them were five dead 
ones, weltering in their blood, bows and arrows and a 
few scattered feathers and tomahawks lying on the 
ground." 

Our long experience among the different Indian 
tribes had taught us that it was better and safer to 
have their good will by friendly treatment, giving a 
few beads or other comparatively worthless trinkets, 
rather than make them enemies li}' any act of unkind- 
ness. There were noted exceptions to this rule both 
among the white as well as red men, when evil was 
sometimes returned for kindness. Human nature is 
about the same the world over. 

As we approached Echo canyon, leading directly to 
the Mormon settlement, we found feed and water 
more abundant and this continued its entire length. 
The descent was gradual and in no place through the 
range was the road very rough or abrupt and there 
was but little timber. Many singular and curious 
formations were observed, the most noted of which 
were Witches' Monument and Pulpit rock. All of 
these have since become subjects of illustrations. 

The lower portion of the canyon broadens into a 
valley of considerable width and was already occupied 
by a number of Mormon families, with patches of 
grain and vegetables and some live stock. It was a 
most welcome sight to us, and brought vividly to 
mind our own prairie homes in the "far west." The 
first habitation at which we arrived, and to which 
we were especially attracted by a number of children 



66 ELDORADO 

playing around, was a small structure built of sun- 
dried brick. We halted our little cavalcade and made 
the excuse that we wanted a drink of water in order 
to interview the tenants, although a clear mountain 
stream ran near by. The matron, a neat, comely 
looking woman, appeared at the door, and after we 
had made our request known, asked if we would not 
prefer a drink of buttermilk, saying she had just been 
churning. To this we all cheerfully assented. It was 
indeed an unexpected treat. We ofifered her compen- 
sation for her kindness, but it was refused with "You 
are quite welcome." From that dav whenever I heard 
polygamous or INTormon women denounced bv "gen- 
tile" writers or speakers, I have never failed to remem- 
ber that kindly act of the first Mormon woman we met. 
Well did Jesus the Christ sav : "Whosoever shall give 
you a cup of water to drink in my name shall not lose 
his reward." 

The good woman inquired where we were from and 
spoke cheering words as we took our leave. We had 
not gone far when a better and more extended view of 
the vallev and farm houses came in sight, and Cap- 
tain Hardv, who was in front, commenced to sing that 
familiar song, in which we all heartily joined : 

"How dear tn my heart are the scenes of my childhood, 
When fond recollections present them to view, 
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood, 
And every loved spot which my infancy knew" — 

A few miles farther on we came in sight of the city 
of "God's Anointed," His "Latter Day Saints." In 
the distance the broad expanse of water, which we 
knew to be the Great Salt Lake, dotted with islands, 
made a picture of beauty that compensated us for much 



ELDORADO 67 

of the hardships we had endured. Upon entering the 
town we inquired for a good camping ground, and 
were informed that three miles distant, on the bottoms 
of the ''River Jordan," good feed could be found, to 
which place we proceeded and made camp just as the 
last golden rays of the setting sun were gilding the 
peaks of the mountains to the east of the valley. 

Our stock of provisions, with which he had left In- 
dependence Rock a month before, was exhausted, but 
we could obtain here whatever we desired, including 
milk, excellent butter and fresh vegetables. We 
spread our blankets under a cottonwood tree and slept 
the sleep of the (just) "gentiles," by which name all 
were known outside of the Mormon church. 

Here we remained three weeks, recruiting our thin 
and jaded animals and laying in a fresh supply of pro- 
visions before taking the "fool's cut-off" across the 
northern part of the Great American desert. On that 
cut-off one of our party was shot to death with arrows 
while searching for water in the Humboldt mount- 
ains, the accotmt of which I will describe in due time 



68 EIvDORADO 



CHAPTER VI. 



SALT I.AKE. 

It is not m\- purpose to write a detailed account of 
my second overland trip in 1853. The same route was 
followed as in 1850 as far as Salt Lake. I will men- 
tion some of the most memorable events of that trip 
farther on. 

Prior to 1843 the existence of the great Salt Lake 
was practically unknown. Vague rumors of a large 
inland sea on the confines of the great American des- 
ert had reached the frontier settlements from reports 
of French voyagers and trappers, but not until Gen- 
eral (then Captain) Fremont visited this remote and 
unknown region was the question of its existence set 
at rest. 

I quote from Fremont's journal the interesting and 
instructive account of his discovery and approach tc 
the lake, in the year above mentioned, contained ir 
the official report he subsequently made to the Secre- 
tary of the Interior. Fremont and his party had fol- 
lowed the course of Bear river from near its source 
in the Wind River mountains, a distance of 400 miles. 
"The night previous to reaching its outlet we camped 
near several families of 'root diggers,' living among 
the rushes, who appeared very busy with weirs or nets 



ELDORADO 69 

rudely made of canes and rushes for the purpose of 
catching fish. They were very much startled at our 
approach, hut their fears were soon calmed, and find- 
ing they had some roots, I sent some men with goods 
to trade with them. 

"They were almost entirely naked, looking very poo»; 
and miserable, as if their lives had been spent in the 
rushes where they were, beyond which they seemed 
to have very little knowledge of anything. M}' men 
purchased a small quantity of roots and meat, which 
they indicated was bear meat. Leaving the encamp- 
ment early, we directed our course for a high peninsu- 
lar 'butte' across a low, shrubby plain. Before us was 
evidently the bed of a lake, being a salt marsh, per- 
fectly level and bare, with here and there a pool of 
water, and having the appearance of a level seashore 
at low tide. We proceeded in the direction of the 
'butte.' still several miles distant, as it would probably 
aiTord a good view of the lake. We finally succeeded 
in reaching it without much difficulty, and, ascending 
to the summit, immediately at our feet beheld the 
object of our anxious search, the waters of the inland 
sea, stretching in still and solitary grandeur far be- 
yond the limit of our vision. It was one of the great 
points of our exploration, and as we looked eagerly 
over the lake in the first emotions of excited pleasure 
I am doubtful if the followers of Balboa felt more en- 
thusiasm when from the heights of the Andes they 
saw for the first time the great western ocean. It was 
certainly a magnificent object and a noble terminus 
to this part of our expedition, and to travelers so long 
shut up among mountain ranges a sudden view over 
the expanse of silent waters had in it something 



70 EIvDORADO 

sublime. Several large islands raised their high, 
rocky heads out of the waves, but whether or not they 
were timbered was still left to our imagination, as the 
distance was too great to determine it the dark hues 
upon them were woodland or naked rock. During 
the day the clouds had gathered black over the mount- 
ains to the westward, and while we were looking, a 
storm burst down with sudden fury upon the lake and 
entirely hid the islands from view. So far as we 
could see along the shores there was not a solitary 
tree and but little appearance of grass. Carson, Ber- 
nier and Basil Lajeunesse were selected for a boat 
expedition to the islands the following day, the first 
attempted on this inland sea. Around our fire tonight 
were many speculations on what the morrow would 
bring forth, and in our hazy conjectures we fancied 
that we should find all of the large islands a tangled 
wilderness of trees, teaming with game of every de- 
scription, which the foot of a white man had never 
violated. A perilous voyage was made in the rubber 
boat to a large island, where our party remained all 
night, the rough condition of the lake preventing our 
return before the following morning. Out of drift 
wood we made ourselves pleasant little lodges and lay 
down for the first time in a long journey in perfect 
security, no one thinking about his arms. The wind 
rose during the night and the waves beat heavily 
against the shore, making our island tremble. I had 
not expected in our inland journey to hear the roar of 
an ocean surf, and the strangeness of our situation and 
the excitement we felt in the associated interest of the 
place made this one of the most interesting nights T 
made during our long expedition." 



ELDORADO 71 

A thorough exploration of the lake and surround- 
ings were made by Captain P'remont, which is now of 
government record. 

I merely quote the above to emphasize the interest- 
ing fact that from so recent a wild and unknown 
region a great city and State has arisen. From like 
conditions all the other rich and populous States lying 
between the Missouri river and the Pacific ocean have 
grown. This unparalleled change is hardly realized by 
the present generation. To me it seems but yesterday 
that my five months' journey was made over an un- 
broken wilderness now crossed by different lines of 
railroads and teeming with industrial enterprises, pros- 
perous towns and cities and enjoying all the advan- 
tages of a high civilization. 



72 EIvDORADO 



CHAPTER VII. 



A SECOND OVERLAND JOURNEY. 

I will now proceed to give a few incidents in con- 
nection with my overland journey in 1853. Having 
made a few thousand dollars during the years of '51-2 
in the mines and on a stock ranch which I had pur- 
chased on the Consumnes river, 20 miles from Sacra- 
mento City, I determined to return to the States and 
purchase a band of American horses, as they were in 
demand at high figures for transporting goods of all 
kinds to the mines from Sacramento, Marysville, 
Stockton and other points. I was also feeling a little 
homesick about that time, as tlie "settlers and miners" 
ticket, on which I was a candidate for the Legislature, 
was defeated by the stealing of the ballot boxes and the 
1)urning of the city on the night of the election, No- 
\ ember 2, 1852, by thugs, "shoulder strikers," and fol- 
lowers of the notorious Judge Terry, who killed Brod- 
rick and was himself killed at Lathrop a few years 
ago for threatening and insulting Chief Justice Field. 
The next day after the nominating convention I was 
assessed $500 for election expenses, which I cheerfully 
paid with ten octagonal "slugs" (which were at that 
time the "coin of the realm") and thought I was get- 
ting off cheap. 



ELDORADO 73 

I purchased my ticket by way of Central America, 
paying $300 for my passage to New York, going from 
San Juan Del Sur to Virgen bay, across Lake Nic- 
aragua and down the San Juan river, along which ths 
proposed canal is to be constructed, to Greytown 
thence to Cuba, where a short time was pleasantly 
spent in visiting old Morro Castle and other interest- 
ing places in and around Havana. These were of 
greater interest perhaps, as I had acquired something 
of a knowledge of the Spanish language, although 
several business houses and one hotel were conducted 
by Americans. A few years later I spent several 
weeks in New Granada, South America, where Span- 
ish was the onl}- language spoken by the natives. 

Leaving the tropical climate of Havana the last of 
December, in three days I arrived in New York with 
the mercury several degrees below zero, without ex- 
periencing any particular inconvenience from the cold 
although 1 had spent two and one-half years in a warm 
climate, ^ly habits were good and my health perfect. 
I soon left for Chicago, going to my father's home 
(,o miles west from there, where I purchased my horses 
during the winter and prepared to take them across the 
plains to California the following season. 

I had two stout, but light weight, covered wagons 
built and reached my destination with them without 
the loss of an animal, making the return journey in 
little less than five months. A large company was or- 
ganized at Council Bluffs, as in '50, of which I was 
chosen to act as captain, being the only one among the 
number who had been the overland route. The ex- 
periences were similar to those of former years, except 
that there were fewer emigrants, and as we had a better 



74 ELDORADO 

knowldge of the country and the conditions to be met 
we were much less liable to misfortune or disaster. 

The journey to Salt Lake was devoid of any unusual 
experiences. Not anticipating or fearing any trouble 
from the Indians, whom we had conciliated whenever 
any hostile indications were apparent, and as feed was 
becoming scarce we divided up the train into smaller 
companies before reaching the Mormon settlement. 

A number of families from Racine, Wis., had consti- 
tuted a part of our train, but traveled by themselves 
after leaving Salt Lake. Not very long after leaving 
that place this party was attacked by the Indians, who 
were thought to have been instigated by some of the 
Mormon officials. 

We followed the usual emigrant route around the 
northern end of the lake by a little settlement at the 
crossing of Bear river, where the city of Ogden now is 
and thence to the headwaters of the Humboldt and 
down the river to where it sinks into the earth. Then 
across a 45-mile desert to Carson valley and over the 
Sierra Nevada to Sacramento. 

Before reaching the summit of the Sierras, the snow 
through which our road lay on either side was higher 
than the top of our wagon bows. While in Carson 
valley Captain Smith of the Sacramento horse market 
offered me $1200 for one pair of horses, for which I 
had paid $300. The offer was refused. 

To further illustrate the times and conditions of 
those days I will relate a characteristic incident. My 
friend Captain Smith, who had come over the mount- 
ains for the purpose of buying horses of poor emi- 
grants (a business of which I had once been guilty 
myself) was out in search of a stray animal. Follow- 



ELDORADO 75 

ing a narrow trail among the pines of the foothills 
of the Sierras he observed a huge grizzly bear coming 
directly towards him in the same footpath. It was a 
mutual recognition and unpleasantly near, especially 
from the standpoint of Captain Smith. Both stopped 
at the same instant. Mr. Bear raising himself in a 
perpendicular attitude upon his haunches. After gaz- 
ing at each other with more or less admiration (prob- 
ably less) for a couple of minutes, the grizzly dropped 
upon all fours, turned tail to and quietly took his back 
track, occasionally looking around as he retired. When 
fairly out of sight the Captain remarked that he, too, 
took his back track and "did not stand upon the order 
of his going." 

After reaching the Upper Humboldt river I again 
came in contact with the celebrated Kit Carson, who, 
with his wife and several Spaniards in his employ were 
on their way to California from Taos, IM. M., with 400 
sheep intended for that market. They were of the 
coarse wool variety and only suitable for mutton. 

On one occasion while camped near a party of emi- 
grants a number of horses were stolen from the latter 
by the Indians. The company included several women 
and children, and their condition at once elicited the 
sympathy of "Kit," as he was familiarly called. Tak- 
ing three of his men, he soon struck the Indians' trail 
and followed it until nightfall, when upon ascending a 
low elevation, he discovered the Indians in camp but 
a short distance away. Their fires were burning 
briskly, and one of the stolen animals was already 
killed, with which they were preparing to regale them- 
selves. The party consisted of about 20 braves. Kit 
and his men concealed themselves until they began 



76 ELDORADO 

their feast. Not apprehending- clanger near, they had 
^arelessly laid aside their arms. At a given signal 
fr ^m Kit, with savage yells and a rapid discharge of 
then ^nms they rushed upon them, when "Lo, the poor 
Indian," fell over himself and each other in making his 
escape, and those who were not killed or wounded 
disappeared in the darkness. The animals were 
quickly loosened and rushed in the direction of the 
emigrant camp, where they arrived at daylight. All 
the stock returned, save one, to the great joy of the 
owners, enabled them to pursue their journey. The 
services of Carson had been rendered many times ir 
similar cases. The Indians in this instance would not 
have known whether they were attacked by four men 
or 400, most likely they imagined the latter. 

We traveled and camped together along the alkal' 
plains bordering the Humboldt, across the sandy 45- 
mile desert to Carson river and valley (both named ir 
honor of Kit), until reaching a delightful spot about 
30 miles up the eastern slope of the Sierras, with 
plenty of grass and cold mountain water. Here we 
remained three weeks, recruiting our animals. During 
our stay in this little Eden, one of Carson's Spaniards 
and myself crossed the mountains to Hangtown (now 
Placerville), about 75 miles, for a supply of provisions. 

The December following I met Carson for the 
last time, he having disposed of his sheep at $12 
per head. I bade him good-by, as he started on the 
return trip to his home in New Mexico by way of Los 
Angeles and Yuma. Carson was as companionable 
and honorable as he was brave, and of a modest and re- 
tiring disposition. 

At the breaking out of the Civil War he was com- 



EIvDORADO 77 

missioned Colonel and remained in the employ of the 
government until his death, which sad event occurred 
at Fort Lyons, Colo., where he was in command. As 
one writer remarked, when his death was announced : 
"To one who knew him, no formal eulogy is needed 
upon the man who was the most perfect specimen of a 
hunter, a scout and a skillful, loyal soldier that ever 
wore moccasins or filled the stirrups of a trooper." I 
have knowledge of the death of only three other noted 
guides, hunters and trappers whom I have mentioned 
in these papers. .All were among the most trusted of 
Fremont's men during his explorations. Godey died a 
few years ago at liakersfield. Cal. The circumstances 
of the death of two others were related hy Carson him- 
self. At the time hostilities commenced in California 
and just hefore the raising of the Bear flag, Fremont 
and his party were on their way to make some explora- 
tions in Oregon, and were camped on Klamath lake, 
near its southern boundary. Car.son says : "Colonel 
Fremont remained up and kept a large fire burning 
until after midnight ; the rest of us were tired out, and 
all went to sleep. This was the only night in all our 
travels — except the one night on the island in the Salt 
lake — that we failed to keep guard ; and as the men 
were so tired, and we expected no attack now that we 
had t6 in the party, the Colonel didn't like to ask it of 
them, but sat up late himself. Owens and T were 
sleeping together and we were awakened at the same 
time by the sound of blows of the ax that killed our 
n-:cn. At first I didn't know it was that; but I called 
to Basil (Basil was, like Fremont, a scientist), who 
was on that side. 'What's the matter there? What's 
the fuss about?' He never answered, for he was dead 



78 EIvDORADO 

then, poor fellow, and he never knew what killed him 
— his head had been cut in, in his sleep. The other 
groaned as he died. The Delawares (we had four 
with ns) were sleeping at that fire, and they sprang up 
as the Klamaths charged them. One of them caught 
up a gun, which was unloaded, but although he could 
not do execution, he kept them at bay, fighting like a 
soldier and didn't give up until he died bravely. 

"As soon as I had called out, I saw there were In- 
dians in the camp, and I and Owens together cried 
out : 'Indians !' There were no orde. s given ; things 
went on too fast, and the Colonel had men with him 
that didn't need to be told to do their duty. The 
Colonel and I, Maxwell, Godey and Stepp jumped to- 
gether — we six — and ran to the assistance of our Del- 
awares. I don't know who fired and who didn't, but 
I think it was Stepp's shot that killed the Klamath 
chief, for it was at the crack of Stepp's gun that he 
fell. He had an English half-ax slung to his wrist by 
a cord, and there were 40 arrows left in his quiver — 
the most beautiful and warlike arrows I ever saw. He 
must have been the bravest man among them from the 
wav he was armed and judging by his cap. When 
the Klamaths saw him fall thev ran, but we lav, every 
man with his rifle cocked, until davlight, expecting an- 
other attack. In the morning we found bv the tracks 
that from iq to 20 of the Klamaths had attacked us. 
'rhev had killed three of our men and wounded one 
of the Delawares, who scalped the chief, whom we left 
where he fell. Our dead men we carried on mules; 
but after going about 10 miles we found it impossible 
to get them any further throueh the thick timber, and 
finding a secret place we buried them under logs and 



ELDORADO 79 

chips, having no way to dig a grave. It was only ? 
few days before this fight that some of these same 
Indians had come into our camp, and although we had 
only meat for two days and felt sure that we should 
have to eat mules for 10 or 15 days to come, the Colo- 
nel divided with th.em and even had a mule unpacked 
to give them some tobacco and knives." 

Two days later, as the party retraced their way into 
California in response to orders from Washington that 
reached them by Lieutenant Gillespie, they came to a 
village of more than a hundred Klamath warriors. In 
the encounter which followed, Carson's life was con- 
tinually exposed. As they galloped up he was in the 
advance, when he observed an Indian fixing his arrow 
to let flv at him. Carson leveled his rifle, but it snap- 
ped, and in an instant the arrow wovild have pierced 
him had not Fremont, seeing the danger, dashed his 
horse on the Indian and knocked him down. "I owe 
my life," said Carson, "to those two — the Colonel and 
his horse, 'Sacramento.' " Sacramento was a noble 
California horse which Captain Sutter gave to Colonel 
Fremont in 1844, and which twice made the distance 
between Kentucky and the Sacramento vallev, where 
he earned his name by swimming the river after which 
he was called, at the close of a long day's journey. 



8o ELDORADO 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE MORMONS. 

A short account of the conditions existing at Salt 
Lake in 1849-50 and the settlement of the valley by the 
Mormons may prove interesting to my readers. Len- 
der the leadership of Brigham Young they had pre 
ceded our arrival three years, and during that 
period, by their industry, economy and thrift, 
had converted much of the land into pleasant homes 
and were already producing more than was required 
for their own consumption. Their buildings, it is true, 
were cheaply constructed, mainly of adobe or dried 
brick, while their method of living in many respect? 
was very primitive. A spirit of content and happi- 
ness appeared to be universal among all classes so far 
as could be observed. While little attention was paid 
to ornamentation, every home seem to be surrounded 
with an alnmdant supply of the substantial things of 
life, such as smaller fruits, vegetables and other farm 
products. 

Pure mountain water for domestic and irrigating 
purposes was brought several miles in open ditches. 
Prices were not exoH)itant and we were cnaliled to 
])urchase flour, coffee, sugar, etc., to suppl}- our needs 
at reasonable rates. Flour was being manufactured in 



EI.DORADO 8i 

the valley, but groceries, dry goods, hardware, ma- 
chinery and everything used or consumed, not pro- 
duced by the settlers, was hauled from St. Louis, prin- 
cipally by mule and ox teams, a distance of nearly 
1,500 miles. The same conditions continued, more 
than 20 years, or until the completion of the Union 
Pacific railroad, in 1869. Utah, like a large portion 
of all that interior region was quite destitute of forest 
trees, and the inconvenience to farmers and others 
from this cause was very great. In the vicinity of Salt 
Lake City no trees grow except those that have been 
planted, and the nearest fuel supply of wood to the 
citv is from 15 to 20 miles distant. Gas and coal 
which are found in abundance in Utah, are chiefly used 
at present. 

Viewed without prejudice, and in the light of subse- 
quent events, the immigration of the Mormons to 
Utah was one of the greatest events of historv. Dur- 
ing the winter of 1846-47 a body of 6,000 Mormons 
w-as temporarily located upon the banks of the Mis- 
souri river above Council Bluffs, since known as their 
"winter quarters." They had been unable to live 
peaceably with their neighbors in Missouri and Illi- 
nois (probably both being to blame), and were pre- 
paring to travel west to find a place where thev could 
live in peace. With Brigham Young as their leader, 
(recognized as "prophet, priest and God's anointed," 
and who claimed to have had a vision of the "promised 
land" in the far west, where a great temple would be 
erected and where thev would await the second coming 
of Christ), thev started across the almost trackless 
plains to brave the Indians, the Avild animals, the des- 
ert and the storms. The vanguard of the emigration. 



82 ELDORADO 

composed of 143 men, entered the valley July 24, which 
Brigham said he had seen in his vision. Then the 
leader and part of his followers went back after anoth- 
er company of emigrants. 

This time they brought fifteen hundred of both sexes 
and all ages. There was praying and singing every 
evening, and Sundays were devoted to fasting and 
praver. They wrote messages to those who were to 
follow and placed them in the end of split sticks, or 
penciled directions upon bleached bufifalo bones by the 
wayside. In our overland trip we followed their ex- 
ample. Useful instruction in that way was often given 
to those in the rear, also cheering messages that were 
greatly prized. 

Much proselyting had been done by Mormon mis- 
sionaries in foreign countries, with the result that thou- 
sands of ignorant foreigners arrived, anxious to reach 
the new "Zion," but without any knowledge of the aw- 
ful dangers of the journey. Many had no teams or 
wagons, but putting all their earthly possessions in 
hand carts started on their long perilous journey. And 
what was stranger still, mothers actually walked from 
the Missouri river over the plains and mountains carry- 
ing nursing infants in their arms. Little children 
trudged along, weak and faint from hunger. Sickness 
thinned their ranks, winter came upon them, and they 
were onlv saved bv the timely arrival of help from 
those who had preceded them. Thev had left a trail 
easilv followed bv the graves of the fallen : but tliere 
were enough left to found a commonwealth. Thev 
found a waste of sage brush and sand, and chanp-ed it 
to fields of waving grain, fruit and flowers. Thev took 
a barren, sterile country, inhabited only by savage In- 



ELDORADO 83 

dians, living upon roots and insects, and made it a 
modern state, blessed with all the institutions of civili- 
zation. 

President Eliot, of Harvard College, speaking in 
the Mormon tabernacle, likened the INIormon migra- 
tions to those of the Pilgrim Fathers. For this he was 
i^rcatly abused by those of other sects. But it would 
seem that the comparison was not unjust to either 
Mormons or Pilgrims. The Puritans carried civiliza- 
tion to the ''rock-bound coast" of Massachusetts. The 
Mormons carried civilization across an unknown 
wilderness to a barren, sage-brush desert, and estab- 
lished it there. Granted that the Mormons were cruel 
and unjust in many instances ; the Puritans burned and 
hung witches, and beat and otherwise cruelly treated 
innocent women, to satisfy a brutal superstition. Both 
Puritan and Mormon only followed the example and 
teaching of religious fanaticism of all ages, a travestv 
on the pure and loving precepts of Jesus, that brought 
to earth the new commandment that "ye love one 
another." The world for a thousand years was ruled 
by the cruel, iron hand of ecclesiastical despotism 
more destructive than war or pestilence. The Mor- 
mons, as was done in the dark ages, attempted to es- 
tablish a theocratic government where the church 
should dominate the civil power, and this has always 
resulted in the destruction of human rights and free- 
dom of conscience. 

Tt was the purpose of the president of the Mormon 
church to be absolved from all allegiance to the United 
States, and to establish a religious oligarchy inde- 
j^endent of any civil government, to be known as the 
state of "Deseret." It was at that time Mexican terri- 



84 EIvDORADO 

tory, and was ceded to the United States by the treaty 
of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, in 1848, together with what 
are now the states of Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, 
Arizona and California. Salt Lake City was laid out 
soon after their arrival, twelve miles from the lake. 
The streets crossed each other at right angles ; the prin- 
cipal ones 130 feet wide, and a small stream of pure 
water constantly running down the gutter on either 
side. 

Salt Lake City today is one of the most beautiful on 
the continent. Before the arrival of the "gentiles" and 
their participation in the municipality, it was morally 
a clean city. It was strictly temperate and there was 
no slum element. It is true, they took Solomon and 
others of the patriarchs as examples in polygamy, and 
King David, (too Psalm), in making the "wives of 
their enemies widows and their children orphans," and 
other illustrious Biblical examples in upholding the 
faith of the "Latter Day Saints." 

In visiting Mormon families at different times and 
conversing with plural wives, where five or six con- 
stituted the family circle, I invariably found them more 
zealous in upholding polygamy than the men. They 
regarded it as a religious duty, and believed it would 
"add to their crown of rejoicing in heaven." 

I never observed the least indication of jealousy 
or want of harmony. The sealing of the "spiritual" 
wife was done only by the free and voluntary consent 
of the first wife, followed by the solemn ceremonies 
of the church. 

The "Mormon rebellion," as a fact of history, stamps 
its leader or leaders at that time as capable of com- 
mitting the most serious of crimes while professing- to 



HivDORADO 85 

act by divine inspiration and a direct revelation from 
God. ^^ 

A small band was organized called the "Alormon 
Legion," and by the Gentiles the "Destroying An- 
gels," that explicitly obeyed the orders of Brigham 
Young, no matter what their character. The Mount- 
ain Meadows massacre, where 132 emigrants, men, 
women and children, were cruely butchered in 1858, 
in Southern Utah, was subsequently proved to have 
been by order of Brigham Young and his "apostles!" 
The teams, wagons and other property of the murdered 
emigrants were confiscated for the benefit of the church 
of the Latter Day Saints. 1 believe the rank and file 
of the Mormons are as honest, sincere and reliable as 
the average members of any other sect, but in their re- 
ligious zeal they were deceived by the leaders or 
"twelve apostles." 

In 1857 they rebelled against the authority of the 
United States, and President Buchanan sent an army, 
under the command of General Albert Sidney John- 
ston to bring them to terms. They arrived at Fort 
Bridger and went into quarters to await the arrival of 
the commissary stores and meat supplies, then in 
their rear between the South Pass and Green river. 

The following are some of the experiences of the 
"army of invasion," as related by an officer who be- 
longed to one of the regiments at the time : 

"We arrived at Fort Bridger on the 23d day of No- 
vember, while part of the supply train accompanying 
the expedition, numbering at least 160 wagons, was be- 
hind, delayed by heavy snows, entirely separated from 
the command and forced to encamp about one mile 
from each other on the Big and Little Sandy rivers. 



86 ELDORADO 

While encamped there a party of Mormons, under 
command of Orson Pratt of the so-called "Mormon 
Legion," assisted by one Fowler Wells, another for- 
midable leader of the Mormon church militant, dashed 
in and surrounded the trains in the dark hours of the 
night, completely surprising the entire party, not one 
escaping to give the alarm. 

"After taking the arms and equipments from the 
men they gave them a very limited amount of pro- 
visions to last them through to Leavenworth, Kansas, 
allowing them at the rate of five head of cattle for 
twenty men, and then started them off in the wilder- 
ness to reach that place — about i,ooo miles distant — 
with no weapons other than their pocket knives with 
which to protect themselves against the Indians or to 
procure game when their limited supply of provisions 
should become exhausted. After accomplishing this 
soldierly, humane and Christian act, the Mormons set 
fire to the train, burning up everything they could not 
carry away, and retreated, driving the stock with 
them, while those left to starve turned their faces east- 
ward. There were 230 souls in that despoiled party, 
only eight of whom ever reached the border settle- 
ments. The knife of the savage and starvation fin- 
ished the cruel work begun by the merciful Mormons. 
The survivors reached Leavenworth in June, 1858. 
bringing the sad intelligence of the fate of their com- 
rades. The loss of these trains necessarily cut short 
the supplies at-Bridger. The troops were put on short 
rations, and, to add to their horror, the beef cattle ac- 
companying the expedition had nearly all frozen to 
death, leaving but a few head in camp. At Black's 
Fork the command lost over 300 head in one night, the 



EIvDORADO 87 

horses and mules dying in about an equal ratio. Be- 
fore reaching Bridger the dragoons were compelled to 
leave their saddles, which they buried in the snow, 
the horses being unable to carry them. The animals 
were obliged to exist on sage brush for two-thirds of 
the time, and then, to obtam this fibrous shrub, they 
were compelled to remove snow several feet deep. 
The men had no other fuel ; no water, only as they 
melted snow, for three weeks before reaching Bridger. 

"When the news arrived at the camp that the trains 
had been destroyed the troops immediately began to 
forage for anything that was palatable, well knowing 
that no supplies could reach them until late in the 
spring. The snow was then on an average from six to 
seven feet deep, and the game had mostly left the hills. 
Ine rations were immediately reduced to one-half, but 
even this pittance failed on February 28th, when one- 
quarter rations per man were issued, being the last of 
all our stores. 

"Two 100-pound sacks of flour were secured by 
Major Canby, who gave for them $300 in gold. They 
were placed in his tent, which stood where the old 
flagstaff now stands, and he supposed his treasure se- 
cure. But that night a party of men belonging to 
Company I, First Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant 
Marshall, made a raid on the tent, pulling out the pins 
and throwing the tent over the astonished major, but 
procuring the flour, with which they escaped in the 
darkness, and succeeded in hiding it about a mile from 
camp in the sage brush. All was confusion. The long 
roll was beaten, the troops turned out and answered to 
their names, no one being absent. The next day at 
guard mount the major commenced a personal search 



88 ELDORADO 

among the tents for his flour. He found in one tent 
two men who were cooking a piece of mule meat; in 
another he found five men cutting up the frozen skin 
of an ox, preparatory to making soup of it, the other 
ingredient to the savory mess being a Httle flour. 
Overcome by the sight of so much wretchedness, the 
major sat down and cried at his inability to assist 
them. He asked the men if they could obtain nothing- 
better to eat, and was answered in the negative. The 
mules and horses were either killed and eaten by the 
men or died of cold and hunger. But the men did not 
murmur. Some days a stray creature would be slain 
by the hunters, and there would be rejoicing in the 
camp once more. In September, 1858, a large train ar- 
rived with supplies, causing great joy among the 
troops." 

The army commenced again to move, causing the 
stampede of a large number of Mormons towards the 
Colorado and Mexico. Finally peace commissioners 
were appointed, the war ended and the Mormons re- 
turned to their city, and the army was ordered back 
to the States. 

The state of Utah has wonderful mineral, manufac- 
turing and agricultural resources. It has an altitude 
of 4,500 feet above sea level, with a mild and excep- 
tionally healthy climate. Three rivers of considerable 
magnitude, the Bear, Webber and Jordan, besides 
many smaller streams, empty their waters into the 
Great Salt Lake, wdiich has no visible outlet. Several 
hundred feet up the sides of the mountains, surround- 
ing the valley, a shore line is plainly seen, and numer- 
ous marine shells and other evidences that a vast in- 
land sea once covered all this region. 



EIvDORADO 89 



CHAPTER IX. 



TRAVEL RESUMED. 

The river Jordan, on which "we boys" made our 
camp, is from ten to fifteen yards wide, and is a beau- 
tiful stream of clear, fresh water, from which we sup- 
plied ourselves with plenty of trout and other varieties 
of fish. It rises in Utah lake, a large body of fresh 
water forty miles to the south. 

Our three weeks in camp were pleasantly and profit- 
ably spent. Our animals were greatly improved and 
we were in condition to undertake the most difficult 
part of our journey, which would require about two 
months to complete. 

A grave problem now presented itself in regard to 
the best, safest and most expeditious route. Opinions 
differed. The best-known and most traveled one was 
around the north end of the lake, across Bear river, 
thence to Goose creek, a tributary of the Columbia, and 
to the sources of the Humboldt, following down that 
stream, which seemed to promise both feed and water. 
Another, of which but little knowledge could be ob- 
tained, and was but little traveled, except occasionally 
by mountaineers, known as a "cut-off," went by the 
south end of the lake, across the upper portion of the 
Great American desert to Walker's lake, and thence to 



90 ELDORADO 

Carson valley, there intercepting the old emigrant road. 

After obtaining all the information possible, and hav- 
ing only pack animals, we decided to take the cut-off, 
thereby, as we were told, saving both time and dis- 
tance. In the meantime others who were camped in 
our vicinity came to a like decision, and organized a 
small company, hiring two of Fremont's old guides, 
who happened to be stopping in the valley, to conduct 
them across the desert to what was known as Pilot's 
Peak, the blue top of which could be seen 150 miles in 
the distance. Crossing without a guide was considered 
very dangerous, as the trail from various causes was 
liable to be quickly obliterated, and travelers deceived 
and led astray by the deceptive mirage, whereby many 
lives have been lost on the hot desert. 

Brigham Young said all of those who took the cut- 
off would go to h — . P>ut it was claimed, and believed, 
that his motive was to preserve the feed for the Mor- 
mon travel to the mines in California. It was now the 
middle of August, and we were anxious to be filling 
our pockets with the gold nuggets in the "diggings." 
The party to whom I have referred preceded us by one 
day, with Shambo and companion for guides. 

The following morning, after their departure, we 
gathered up our traps, packed our animals and bid 
good-bye to the few friends we had made and our 
pleasant temporary home under the cottonwood trees, 
and soon struck the trail of those who had left the day 
before. Our first halt, at noon, was on the shore of 
the lake. The day was warm and we could not resist 
the desire for a plunge in its clear, cool waters, which 
we greatly enjoyed. On account of the saline density 
of the water we were enabled to float without danger 



ELDORADO 91 

of sinking. In diving we would rise to the surface 
without the least effort. The water was perfectly trans- 
parent, and any object at the depth of ten or twenty 
feet was greatly magnified. Shortly after leaving the 
water one finds himself like Lot's wife, a pillar of 
salt. There were crude salt works near by, where we 
were informed that the water yielded 20 per cent, pure 
salt. 

After leaving the lake our route lay along the valley 
between the mountain spurs and we camped for the 
night on a little stream, with plenty of feed for our 
horses, having made twenty-five miles travel. The 
distance from Salt Lake City to the edge of the desert 
is seventy miles. The last night before reaching there 
we camped near the summit of a low mountain range, 
and during the night a heavy thunder storm came 
up and, having no shelter, our blankets became thor- 
oughly saturated. As we w^ere without fire we made 
the best of the situation the balance of the night by 
exercising to keep warm. Upon reaching the summit 
the next morning the wide, dreary expanse of the great 
desert lay before us, and Pilot's Peak, our objective 
point and to which our pack trail led, was plainly dis- 
tinguished far to the westward. To the north and 
south was a limitless expanse, without tree or shrub, 
broken here and there by sand ridges and bare, rocky 
promontories, like islands rising out of the sea. A 
vast ,trackless plain, with occasionally extensive salt 
l)eds caused by the sun's rays. Not a very cheering 
outlook, but we had always tried to look upon the 
bright side, believing every cloud had a "silver lining." 

We passed down the western slope and reached the 
edge of the desert at noon. We unpacked and hobbled 



92 KLDORADO 

our animals, and after finishing the last "home-made 
bread" purchased of a good Mormon sister, we lay 
down for a little rest and sleep, of which we had been 
deprived the previous night. 

In preparation for what we had before us, a distance 
which was said to be ninety miles over the hot, burn- 
ing sands, without feed or water, we gathered little 
bundles of bunch grass to fasten to our pack saddles 
for our horses when stopping to rest, and also filled our 
canteens and two or three rubber bags bought for the 
occasion. Several of the boys who had clung to their 
yellow oil cloth overalls all the way from Independence 
Rock, tied up the bottoms of the legs and filled 
them with water. Without such preparations as we 
could and did make, we would have shared the fate of 
some others, and never reached Pilot's Rock. 

We left our noon camp at 2 p. m. Experience had 
taught us that a moderate gait at the beginning of a 
long day's journey was the wisest course to pursue. 
Adopting that plan we traveled until 10 o'clock, mak- 
ing about twenty-five miles. Coming to a low rocky 
ridge partly covered with sand, we halted for an 
hour's rest, unpacked our animals and gave them a lit- 
tle feed and water. While trying to keep up courage, 
the stillness and desolation surrounding one on a night 
travel in the heart of a great desert produces a feeling 
of awe and sadness hard to shake off, especially when 
compelled to make ninety miles in a day and 
night, on foot, with pack animals. It was a bright 
moonlight night, and we. had little fear of losing the 
trail. About one hour after midnight we met the re- 
turning guides on their way to Salt Lake. They were 
mounted on mules and riding quite leisurely. 



ElvDORADO 93 

After about six hours, or 5 o'clock in the morning, 
we again halted an hour for refrshment and rest, well 
knowing that the most difficult task still lay before us 
There was no feed to be obtained, and our morn- 
ing repast consisted of what we had prepared at 
our last camp on the edge of the desert, and water from 
our canteens, but little remaining for our poor ani- 
mals. It may not be generally known, bui neverthe- 
less is a fact^ that a man can undergo more fatigue and 
hardship and last longer under the most trying condi- 
tions than the "lower animals." 

About 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning the deceptive 
mirage began to get in its work. Some of the boys de- 
clared they could see little lakes, or ponds, of water 
but a short distance away. The ripples they said could 
be plainly seen along the pebbly shore, also trees with 
their green foliage.- Finally the optical illusion became 
so real and apparently so near, that two of the boys 
rushed off where they were positve they would find 
water, but they had not preceded far before the scene 
changed, and nothing was visible but shimmering, mov- 
ing sand. About 1 1 o'clock we noticed at no great dis- 
tance, possibly a mile to the right, what appeared to be 
a small camp of emigrant wagons, but whether we were 
again deceived we could not tell. A small party with 
pack and riding animals being near us at the time, a 
couple on horseback rode out to investigate. On their 
return they reported finding a number of wagons with 
their covers quite intact and the bleached bones of hu- 
man beings and animals scattered about. We had been 
told at Salt Lake of an emigrant train that had started 
lo cross the desert against repeated warnings in '49. 
the year previous, which was never heard of after 



94 ELDORADO 

This, no doubt, was the lost train. Getting bewildered 
on that trackless "Sahara," they wandered about seek- 
ing water until their teams gave out, when men, wo- 
man and children sadly and miserably perished. The 
same terrible fate befell many who attempted the still 
more southern route, across Death Valley, which was 
significantly and appropriately named. We were now 
taking some of the medicine that had resulted so disas- 
trously to so many others. Few can conceive the hor- 
rors of such a journey, and the desperate straits to 
which the crazed travelers were reduced to. In some 
instances blood would be drawn from the arms as the 
tongue became parched and swollen, to relieve the fran- 
tic desire for water. Hundreds were following in our 
wake, some with wagons, which subsequently had to 
be abandoned. Among the fatalities was the death of 
two young men from Ohio, who died of thirst and heat. 
In all such cases the bodies were left exposed to the 
elements, as by no possibility could they be given de- 
cent interment. 

Our third and last stop was made before reaching 
the "haven of rest" to which we were anxiously look- 
ing. Our feed and water, except a little we had care- 
fully preserved in our canteens, was exhausted. One 
of our party, less prudent than the others, or being un- 
able to control his thirst, had emptied his canteen, came 
to me and asked if I could spare a little from mine. I 
passed it to him, and upon giving it a shake on its re- 
turn found it empty. I was tolerably dry about 
that time myself. T had been carrying a pebble in my 
mouth to prevent the excessive thirst with which all 
more or less were suffering. At least six hours lay be- 
tween us and any hope of relief. And to aggravate the 



ELDORADO 95 

conditions a light breeze came down the desert from 
the north, passing over salty criistations, the inhaling 
of which parched the tongue like leather. 

The last ten or twelve miles were a dead level, 
hard and smooth as a pavement and hot as a furnace ; 
it was every man for himself in the struggle to reach 
water, and we were scattered along several miles. As 
it happened I was in the lead, and three or four miles 
before reaching the foot of the peak I left my ponies 
and pulled out for water. They stopped at once and 
stood with drooping heads. I had gone perhaps a mile, 
when in the distance I noticed a mule and rider ap- 
proaching. As soon as we met a canteen of good fresh 
water was passed to me. How few prize God's good 
gifts of nature until deprived of them. The rider had 
been sent out by those who had preceded us with the 
guides, knowing that much suffering would be expe- 
rienced by those who followed. The young man sup- 
plied those in need until his canteens were emptied. 
Other relief parties were sent out with instructions that 
no compensation under anv circumstances should be 
taken. I returned at once for my ponies and succeeded 
in reaching a good camping place at the foot of Pilot's 
Peak with plenty of grass and good spring water. All 
had filed in by 5 o'clock p. m.. some with swollen 
tongues, but all in fine spirits. We had been twenty- 
seven hours on the desert ; traveling time twentv-four. 
Here we remained two davs and three nijrhts. when 
another fortv mile sti'etch of the same kind was en- 
countered, making this the only little oasis in traveling 
130 miles. 



96 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER X. 



HISTORICAL INCIDENTS. 

I may be excused for departing from my own narra- 
tive or personal experience, now and then, to give in- 
teresting historical incidents from Fremont, Carson, or 
other trappers and mountaineers whom I have met. 
The following account will show the origin and what 
led to the naming of "Pilot's Peak," and the first time 
the route over which we have just passed, was traveled 
by white men. October, 1844, found Fremont, Carson, 
Maxwell and Walker, with others belonging to an ex- 
ploring expedition, encamped on the shores of the great 
Salt Lake, facing that unknown coutnry of which the 
edge had scarcely been entered, and described by the 
few Indians as being entirely without grass or water 
to support any party that dare enter it. Still, to them, 
it was not entirely an unknown country, as at one time 
its eastern edge or shore was occasionally visited by 
wandering tribes of Indians, but now only a single 
family lived at that point to represent the vanished 
aborigines. They were so abjectly poor that they 
could not show one little well of pure water, but had to 
quench their thirst from a brackish pool. 

Two days after the expedition left Salt Lake they 
reached the summit of a low range of mountains. 



ELDORADO 97 

(The same point where our little party first beheld the 
desert.) The first view that met their astonished gaze 
was a vast, bare plain of dry clay and sand, 
through which a few plants struggled hard to 
grow. Afar off in the dim distance uninviting 
peaks of what seemed to be treeless mount- 
ains rose to a great height. A little apart from 
the main range a rather lofty peak appeared more 
promising than the others. Toward this thev wended 
their way. Four of their men were sent on ahead, their 
guide being a naked Indian. A mule bore water enough 
to last four days. This little expedition was projected 
on the Indian guide's asertion that in a little distance 
he could show them a place where grass grew and water 
ran plentifully. This was meant as a scouting party, 
before the bulk of the expedition was irretrievably com- 
mitted to that route. A column of smoke was to as- 
cend from the summit of the mountain if they suc- 
ceeded in finding water. As no signal was given, Fre- 
mont began to fear some ill had happened to his men, 
and to find out the worst at once the gallant explorer 
went ahead with the whole partv, not waiting for day- 
light. In the morning one of the scouts was met on 
his return journey. The Indian had proved a sad fail- 
ure, and he was sent to the right-about ; the men, how- 
ever, with more sense or more courage, kept on their 
"winding wav," and after resting through the night 
continued their tramp. After traveling in all some 
ninety miles, they reached their refuge, which was duly 
welcomed. 

The loftv peak of the mountain bv which thev so 
happily steered their course was named bv them 
"Pilot Peak." It was alwavs referred to when they re- 



98 ELDORADO 

called their first venturesome launch into the great 
desert. Traveling thus for a few days they made a 
brief halt and divided the party into two divisions. One 
section was commanded by Walker (after whom Walk- 
er's lake was named), a mountaineer of great skill and 
knowing as much as any one of the route they were 
now pursuing, while Fremont's branch, under the lead- 
ership of the indomitable "Kit," started south to make 
a bee line through the center of the desert, his section 
including ten persons, Delaware Indians and whites. 

A curious trait of Indian disposition was afforded 
Kit and his friends a few days thereafter. Walker's 
lake, at which they arrived, was frequented at certain 
seasons of the year bv the Indians for the purpose of 
taking fish, with which the lake abounded. It hap- 
pened that some dozen Indians suddenly appeared in 
sight. They were progressing like a file of geese, one 
almost stepping in the tracks of the preceding, their 
heads bowed and their eyes cast down. The whites and 
Indians passed close to each other without giving the 
least sign that they had been observed. 

On one occasion Kit and his friends had need for all 
their courage and experience in the ways of the thiev- 
ing red men. On one of their hunting and trapping 
expeditions in 1847, while camping on Humboldt 
river, a company of emigrants had several horses run 
oflf in the night by the prowling savages. Four of the 
emigrants went in pursuit of the Indians to recover the 
stolen stock. When word came to Carson's camp of 
the loss of the animals, he, with Maxwell, Owen and 
two Delaware Indians, took up the trail and dashed off 
to the rescue. And well it was they had taken such a 
hasty departure, for after a rapid ride of several miles 



ELDORADO 99 

they reached a small valley in the foothills where the 
savages had entrapped the inexperienced emigrants. 
Some had pushed on with the stolen animals, while 
others had remained in ambush until the white men 
had passed. As soon as they realized their dangerous 
condition, they entrenched themselves among the rocks 
and trees as best they could, and being well armed, 
were making a gallant defense. The Indians, however, 
were gradually closing in upon them by skulking from 
one rock and tree to another. Dogs were barking, and 
women and children shouting when Kit and his fol- 
lowers dashed in with loud, ringing shouts, dealing 
death with their well-aimed rifles and making a num- 
ber of "good Indians." The village was soon cleared 
of the remaining bucks, women and children, the ani- 
mals recovered and brought back to camp, to the great 
joy and relief of those dependent upon their teams to 
pursue their journey. 



lOO ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XI. 



PILOT'S PEAK AND BEYOND. 

Our three nights at Pilot's Peak were a welcome 
rest, gratefully enjoyed by man and beast. I mention 
nights instead of days because, as there was no tree or 
other shelter as a protection from the burning rays of 
the sun, the nights, which were comparatively cool and 
pleasant, were the only time during the twenty-four 
hours we could obtain needed sleep and strength to 
pursue our journey. While we were there in camp 
hundreds who had followed in our rear came straggling 
in, many in far worse condition than ourselves. Some 
had dropped b)^ the way, to be rescued later by a relief 
party, or to leave their bones to bleach on the desert 
sands. 

One very peculiar and curious phenomenon well 
worthy of mention occurred when looking back over 
the route by which the "pilgrims" were coming. It was 
not properly a mirage or optical illusion, as the ap- 
pearance was real, but caused, no doubt, by the refrac- 
tion of the sun's rays upon the heated sands of the 
desert. Men on foot and horseback, and animals with 
packs, could be seen apparently hundreds of feet in the 
air, all traveling as on terra firma. A wide expanse of 
sky could be seen below them. It was a novel spectacle, 
which we watched for hours. 



ELDORADO loi 

On the third day after our arrival at Peak Springs, 
at 5 o'clock p. m., we again packed our faithful ani- 
mals, to which we gave the best care possible, if for 
no other reason than for self-interest, as they were 
regarded as the most important and indispensable mem- 
bers of our family. After going two or three miles 
leisurely along the base of the mountain, where nu- 
merous springs and good grass abounded, we struck 
out over another forty-mile desert, which we regarded 
as a play spell compared with what we had already ex- 
perienced. Night travel was preferred for making 
long distances, on account of the heat during the day. 
As we were then at an elevation of between 4,000 and 
5,000 feet above sea level, the moon and stars in that 
saline and rarefied atmosphere shone with peculiar 
brilliance, and at that time, with nearly a full moon, it 
was almost as light as day. As before, we provided 
refreshments for our horses and made one halt only 
during the night, and reached a camping ground at 
8 o'clock in the morning, where was a limited supply of 
feed and a little brackish water. We remained here un- 
til evening and again packed our horses and continued 
our journey about ten miles, where better accommo- 
dations were found. 

io the limit of vision, in every direction, the whole 
region presented a barren and desolate appearance. 
Isolated, rocky peaks and broken ridges rose at long 
intervals out of the plain, but no tree or vegetable 
growth, except the ever-present and hated sage-brush 
(only when it was needed for fuel) was to be seen. 
For the 130 miles of desert travel not a living creature 
or sign of animal life had been seen. 

To the west, the direction our route lay, possibly 



I02 ELDORADO 

150 miles distant, the top of a mountain range could be 
indistinctly seen, which we subsequently learned wvs 
the Humboldt range. The same monotonous condi- 
tions of camping and traveling continued for the next 
two or three days, finding only small patches of a poor 
quality of grass and equally bad water. 

Arriving at a range of hills, or low mountains, 
which the condition of the atmosphere had prevented 
our seeing distinctly at a long distance, we decided to 
enter a narrow, rocky gorge, and take our chances for 
a successful outcome on the opposite side, as the dis- 
tance apparently was not very great, instead of look- 
ing for a more feasible crossing elsewhere, as others 
probably had done. It is worthy of remark here that 
very little evidence of travel could be seen at this time. 
The few who had preceeded us on the "fools' cut-off" 
had paid but little regard to a definite route, they, 
like ourselves, only aiming now to keep a westerly 
course and look for grass and water, as their only hope. 
A dim pack trail at this point was the only evidence 
that we were not the sole human beings on that deso- 
late, treeless and almost waterless region. 

We filed in to the gorge with Captain Hardy in the 
lead. As we advanced it became more narrow and 
difficult, if not dangerous. The only available pack 
trail led along the precipitous side of the gulch, per- 
haps 100 feet above the bottom. In passing the point of 
a projecting rock, the trail being very narrow, one of 
the horses, losing his balance by a misstep or the pack 
striking the point of rock, he rolled and struggled to the 
bottom of the gorge. With the exception of smashing 
a long-used coffee pot and frying pan — very necessary 
articles for our housekeeping — and a few bruises on 



EIvDORADO T03 

the frightened animal, no serious damage was done. 
By a zigzag course he was gotten again upon the trail. 
We finally emerged from the opposite side, less than 
one mile from tlie point of entrance. 

Five days' travel without special incident brought 
us to the Humboldt range of mountains. The eastern 
slope rose abruptly from the plain to high, towering 
peaks. Iheir course was north and south, and so far 
as we could observe, no depression or pass appeared 
by which even a pack train could reach the opposite 
side. No trees or verdure of any kind was visible. We 
had some difiticulty in fixing our camp, as the necessary 
factors of grass and water appeared to be wanting. 

Tired and hungry, with badly jaded animals, we 
finally discovered an insignificant pool, or spring, that 
seeped from a crevice in the rocks, affording little 
enough water for ourselves and stock. Here we camped 
for the night after a somewhat frugal supper, as we 
were beginning to see the "bottom of the meal tub." 
The thin pasture and hungry condition of our faithful 
animals made it a necessity to change their position 
during the night. One of the company, while discharg- 
ing that duty, observed, some distance along the base of 
the mountains, an Indian camp fire, the first evidence 
of Indians since leaving the valley of the Great Salt 
Lake. 

In the morning the question arose, shall we travel 
north or south to find a passage over the mountains? 
We were satisfied that Walker's lake lay to the south, 
as it had been represented to us that it was on our 
route leading directly to Carson valley. We had had 
no anticipation of encountering cither the Humboldt 
mountains or the Humboldt river. The time had near- 



104 ELDORADO 

ly arrived when we expected to reach CaHfornia, viz.. 
three weeks after leaving Salt Lake City. No trace of 
a packer or other emigrants had been seen lor several 
days. We were alone in an unknown country, with no 
guide to our destination but the points of the compass 
indicated by the sun and stars. 

It was finally, and unanimously, agreed that the wid- 
est course was to follow the range to the south, until 
an opening was discovered by which we could continue 
our westerly course. Making about our usual day's 
travel of twenty miles, we rested for the night with but 
little change from the previous one, keeping careful 
guard over our horses, as Indians had been seen on the 
mountain side watching us from a distance, which was 
indicative of an unfriendly disposition. The uncer- 
tainty of our position and the time that might be re- 
quired to reach California, and the fact that our provis- 
ions also were nearly exhausted, decided us to go on 
short rations rather than none at all later on. So it 
was determined that one good-sized pancake, a small 
slice of bacon, and a pint of coffee should constitute a 
"square meal" until further orders. 

While stopping for our noon rest on the following 
day, I climbed the mountain side, possibly one-half 
mile, to get a view of the surrounding country. I 
noticed the glittering appearance of what seemed to be 
boulders. My curiosity was aroused, and on closer ex- 
amination I discovered that they were large blocks of 
mica, from which I was enabled to remove perfectly 
transparent sheets from ten to fifteen inches square. I 
have no knowledge whether that locality has ever since 
been visited by civilized man. 

The mountain side had a volcanic appearance, and 



ELDORADO 105 

the libaility to a seismic disturbance was confirmed by 
numerous hot springs, reached during the afternoon 
march. A number of miles before they were reached 
a large volume of steam was seen arising in the direc- 
tion we were traveling and the wonder increased to 
learn the cause. Upon approaching the spot, we dis- 
covered a large number of bubbling, boiling hot springs 
distributed over from one to two acres of ground. 
They were indeed a remarkable curiosity. They were 
in the form of natural wells, from five to six feet 
across, and ten to twenty feet deep, the water perfectly 
clear and strongly impregnated with sulphur. While 
they came to the surface, there was no overflow. 

On the third day of our march to the south we ar- 
rived opposite what was evidently a feasible passage 
through the mountains, which was a welcome sight. 
Turning squarely to the right we ascended by a not 
very difficult passage several miles to the summit of the 
pass and went into camp for the night. There was 
plenty of fuel but no water. Our canteens supplied our 
present needs, and the animals would not suffer until 
morning, when we were hopeful water would be found 
at no great distance. 

At daybreak two of the boys started to prospect, tak- 
ing canteens and one of the horses. About a mile from 
camp they discovered a spring, and while stooping in 
the act of filling their canteens they were fired upon 
by a party of Indians that had undoubtedly passed the 
night in that vicinity and saw the boys as they ap- 
proached the spring. One of them immediately mount- 
ed his horse and attempted to make his escape, where- 
upon a shower of arrows was discharged at him. While 
the attention of the savages was directed to the horse 



io6 ELDORADO 

and rider the other young man succeeded in evading 
them, although himself wounded. Upon his return to 
camp with the sad news, everything possible was done 
to learn the fate of his comrade, that our situation 
would permit. But no trace of hmi was found. Both 
horse and rider were undoubtedly taken by the sav- 
ages. The one that returned reported the last he saw, 
of the other, several arrows were sticking in his back. 
\vhen all hope of finding him was given up, we moved 
several miles and found an excellent camping place on 
the opposite side of the mountain by a stream of clear 
water, and plenty of grass. We gave it the name of 
"Grass creek." 

As we had traveled sixty or seventy miles out of our 
direct course, we determined the following morning to 
go for a time in the opposite dn^ection along the base of 
the mountains, where we would be likely to find plenty 
of feed and water. Accordingly we took up our line of 
march, and before the day was passed, as we were 
slowly jogging along through a belt of undergrowth 
bordering upon a small stream (for want of "grub" 
and our late misfortune we were neither very strong 
or cheerful), we heard the distant sound of human 
voices. As we advanced it became more distinct, 
and very soon we realized that we were near the main 
traveled emigrant road, and the voices were the old 
familiar sounds of drivers of overland ox-teams. We 
were soon cheered by the welcome sight of covered 
wagons drawn by horses, mi;les and oxen, passing^ 
along the dusty way. We followed in the same direc- 
tion, but as the shadows were falling we made camp 
and interviewed some emigrants with reference to our 
locality. To our great disappointment we learned that 



ELDORADO 107 

we were on the Humboldt river, 150 miles above the 
sink, near what was known in the guide book as the 
Big Meadows. In other words, 400 miles lay between 
us and the gold diggings of California. Our "sand" 
had not yet run out, and it was necessary to make a 
new deal to replenish our exhausted provisions. 

The following morning after our arrival on the old 
immigrant road, consultation was had with reference to 
a new supply of provisions. No "pilgrims" camping 
in the immediate vicinity had any article of food to 
dispose of. They were all "short," so it was decided 
that one should take a horse unencumbered by a pack, 
and proceed in advance until something in the line of 
food could be obtained from any one who might have 
a surplus. I was selected for that purpose, and taking 
the needed amount of money, and one of my ponies, 
Kittie by name, I mounted uponi my pack saddle and 
blankets and left the others to follow at their usual 
gait. While resting at noon I interviewed a Pike coun- 
ty Missourian, who "allowed" he could spare a "right 
smart piece of bacon." I asked him the price. "I reck- 
on about two bits a pound ; it's a doggone long ways 
to haul it stranger." I replied that I would be willing 
to pay twice that amount rather than not have it. 
"Wouldn't take a cent more, stranger, not a cent more. 
Didn't cost me more than two bits to haul it here ; 
wouldn't take a cent more." He "allowed" the piece 
of side weighed 10 pounds, and I much preferred tak- 
ing it at that rather than weighing it, had we the means 
of doing so. I added still further to my store by buy- 
ing a few pounds of pinole (parched corn meal) during 
the afternoon. I stopped for the night in the vicinity 
of several immigrant trains, and while in camp found 



io8 ELDORADO 

a man from northern Illinois, from whom I purchased 
15 pounds of flour at $1 per pound, and I think he would 
have asked more had he believed I would pay it. The 
two purchases illustrated the difference in human na- 
ture. I remained at that place until noon the following- 
day, watching- and expecting my comrades to reach me 
■at any moment. I had left them only the previous 
morning. They did not put in an appearance, however, 
and I moved a few miles further on in order to obtain 
feed for my pony. 

I posted notices by the roadside so that in the event 
they should pass when my attention was directed else- 
where they would not fail to know my whereabouts. 
That night I turned my little wall-eyed Kittie upon an 
island in the Humboldt river, separated from the main 
land by a small rivulet. The island was not large, was 
covered with willows and had but little grass. The un- 
paralleled immigration of '49 and '50 made it difficult 
to obtain sufficient food while traveling through that 
alkali, sage brush region to keep the stock alive. So 
reduced in flesh did the animals become that it required 
two to make a shadow. In fact, many horses were left 
to bleach by the wayside. 

Upon looking for my pony in the morning she was 
nowhere to be found. I searched along the river and 
among the foothills until 2 o'clock p. m. and gave her 
up for lost. Alone — for there was no train or living- 
object in sight — my chief dependence gone, it was not a 
very pleasing prospect to contemplate ; nevertheless, I 
tried to make the best of the situation, hoping and be- 
lieving it would be all right "by and by." I sat down 
beside my packs and saddle, and waited for something 
to "turn up." My only course was to strike some emi- 



ELDORADO 109 

grant to take my traps 100 miles down to the sink in 
the ?Iumboldt, where I hoped to find my partners, if I 
did not do so before reaching there. I was weary with 
my tramp, there was no shade, and the mid-day sun 
shone with a fierce heat. With the exception of the 
great desert, the Humboldt country is by far the most 
forbidding and desolate region of the entire route from 
the Missouri river to the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
The water of the river is colored with alkali drained 
from the extensive hills on either side, and has a 
sweetish, slippery taste, very unwholesome for man or 
beast. There was not a tree to break the monotony of 
the landscape, where rain seldom falls. 

After passing an hour in "happy" contemplation of 
my present surroundings, looking back along the road 
over which I had come, I noticed in the distance two 
packers, each riding a horse and leading another. As 
they came nearer I discovered a loose animal trailing 
behind them, and soon saw it was my lost black pony 
with the watch-eyes. She appeared to be looking for 
something. Upon inquiry, I was informed they first 
discovered her about three miles back, coming at a 
pretty fast gait from a canyon in the foothills, and she 
had followed close to them since. As she came up to 
me she gave a little whinny, saying, so far as horse 
language could be understood. "I am glad to be back." 
or "aren't you glad I come?" She was no doubt spir- 
ited away during the night by strolling Indians, and 
by some means had made her escape. I began to feel 
much concern at the non-appearance of my partners, 
believing there had been some unusual cause of delay, 
or that a misfortune of some kind had befallen them. 



no EIvDORADO 

Emigrants coming along the road could give no in- 
formation concerning them. 

I'raveling a few miles after recovering my pony, I 
encamped for the night, having to go some distance 
from the road to find feed and water. During the fol- 
lowing forenoon I purchased a small amount of beef 
ribs from a man who was dressing a dead animal by 
the roadside, but whether it had been killed or had 
died a natural death I did not know, as no questions 
were asked. I roasted it by a small fire of dried sage 
brush, and what I did not eat I placed in my pack for 
future use. As I again started along the road after my 
feast of "spare-ribs" I noticed a single pedestrian com- 
ing at no great distance. When he came near I was 
surprised to see Grin Moody, one of our party. He 
was without coat, vest, blanket or any incuml)rance 
whatever. He said he was sick and looked it. He 
was the individual who took my last drop of water on 
the desert. The first thing he said, after mutual greet- 
ings was, "For heaven's sake, have you anything to 
eat? I haven't had a bite in 24 hours. I took from my 
pack the remnants of my roast spare-ribs and an "emi- 
grant biscuit" — a cold pancake-^and passed them to 
him. He sat by the roadside and eagerly devoured 
them. Upon inquiring what had become of the rest of 
our company, he replied he did not know. He became 
lost from them the previous morning, having started 
to walk along before the others were ready to leave 
with the pack animals. Upon realizing his situation, 
and giving up all hope of joining the company, his only 
safety depending upon overtaking me He had become 
exhausted and ill by his long, rapid walking, and was 



ELDORADO in 

overcome by heat and hunger. He declared he could 
walk no further. 

I arransjed my pack behind tlic saddle, and helped 
him to mount my ponv. After traveling- a few miles 
his condition compelled us to stop at the first conven- 
ient spot. I spread my blankets and he lay down in the 
partial shade of a few willows in a state of perfect col- 
lapse. He begged me to go and leave him to his fate. 
I replied that whatever was to come we would share it 
together, no matter what the "fate" might be. L'nfor- 
tunatelv, I had nothing to administer for his relief, the 
nature of his trouble requiring medical treatment, and 
as he could neither ride on horseback nor walk, I de- 
termined, if possible, to get a* chance for him to ride in 
an emigrant wagon. Before noon such an opportunity 
was secured, the driver of the wagon consenting with- 
out compensation to permit him to ride to the Sink. 75 
miles. We assisted him to the wagon, when a pair of 
blankets were given him to lie upon. After several 
days of uneventful travel I arrived at the Sink. The 
only incident of interest was my being awakened one 
dark night by the tramp and voices of a band of prowl- 
ing Indians. My pony was picketed only a rope's 
length from where I lay. The stillness was not broken 
by either of us, so we were fortunately not discovered. 

It might be as appropriate here as elsewhere, poss- 
ibly, to relate the secret of our continued separation 
A few miles from our encampment the morning I left 
the company to obtain a fresh supply of provisions, the 
road forked at the crossing of the river, unobserved 
either by myself or Mr. Moody. As I afterwards 
learned, the pack animals had gone to the left, and had 
crossed the stream, which was shallow and narrow at 



112 EI.DORADO 

that point, while I had kept to the right. None of us 
had observed the point of separation. Dust and other 
cause often prevented our taking" close observation of 
surrounding objects. 

The result was, we were traveling two or three miles 
apart on opposite sides of the river. Upon arriving 
at the Sink we were separated by the shallow lake filled 
with willows and rushes. I never saw nor heard of 
either of my partners until I returned to the States in 
1852. I crossed the Sierra Nevada from Carson valley 
by the Hangtown trail, not knowing of any other, while 
they, leaving the valley farther to the north, crossed to 
Georgetown, in the northern mines. 

Upon my arrival where the waters of the ITir.nlioldt 
river disappear bv evaporation and sinking in the 
ground, I was facing a 45-mile desert, the most difficult 
and disastrous to cross of anv other 45 miles between 
the Missouri river and the Sierra Nevada, excepting 
possibly, the Great Desert west of Salt Lake. From 
this noted locality two routes led over the mountains 
into California. One to the south, across the desert 
I have mentioned, to Carson river and vallev : the other 
going west via Truckce river, entering the mountains 
near the present town of Reno. Whichever route was 
selected by the "pilgrims," they invariably wished they 
had taken the other. The one bv way of Carson was 
the most difficult, so far as the desert was concerned. 
On the Truckee route the greatest obstacle was encoun- 
tered in crossing the Sierras. The latter was taken by 
Captain Donner and his party in 1846. Their terrible 
suffering and niisfortunes constitute one of the saddest 
experiences of all the overland emigration to Califor- 
nia. I will mention a few incidents to show the hard- 



ELDORADO 113 

ships to which pioneers were subject in the early days 
coming not as carpetbaggers, but to found homes and 
bring American civilization to a far distant and com- 
paratively unknown region. 

Captain Donner and party, from Illinois, were well 
fitted out with teams, a large number of cattle, pro- 
visions and everything necesary for comfort during 
their long journey. At Independence Rock, on the 
Sweetwater, east of the Rockies, they engaged a guide 
who pretended to be familiar with the country through 
which they were to pass, but led them over roundabout, 
difficult ways, either from ignorance or a criminal pur- 
pose, which was the cause of all their misfo^-tunes. Be- 
fore reaching Utah Valley on one "cut-off," 30 days 
were consumed in traveling 40 miles. In crossing the 
Great Desert, over which we passed, a large number 
of their cattle perished. There was also much suffering 
among the women and children. To add to their mis- 
fortunes, the Indians were very hostile, killing and 
stampeding their stock at every opportunity. Thev con- 
tinued their journev until October before reaching the 
Sink of the Humboldt, the savages being in swarms 
about them, shooting their cattle and terrifying the 
women. They reached the Sink by a night drive, arriv- 
ing at midnight. The next morning thev drove their 
cattle out to graze, and. the guard having left them a 
short time, the Indians killed 21, leaving two men with 
families, a single ox each. One of these men left this 
camp, taking his little bov in his arms and his wife car- 
ried an infant. Thus they began their weary march 
acoss the desolate plain that intervenes between the 
Sink and the m.ountains, which at the time thev arrived 
were covered deep with winter snows. The scene was 



114 ELDORADO 

sufficient to appall the stoutest heart. The party had 
broken up into small squads and death seemed inevi- 
table. They followed up the Truckee, struggling 
against the most adverse conditions, impeded by the 
deep snow, cold and hunger, until November, utterly 
disheartened and all hope gone. They then began to 
construct rude huts during a terrible snow storm, in 
order to prolong life as long as possible. The women 
bore the hardships with heroic fortitude. 

By the beginning of December the snow was eight 
feet deep, and death from starvatfon began to reduce 
their numbers. A few of the stronger ones, led by a 
Mr. Eddy, determined to try to cross the mountains for 
relief, leaving their agonized wives and children. On 
the seventh day, after struggling through the deep 
snows, Eddy, upon relieving his pack of all useless 
articles, found about a pound of bear's meat (he had 
killed a grizzly a few days before he left camp), and a 
note in which his wife expressed the hope that it might, 
if the worst came, as she feared it would, "be the means 
of saving his precious life." The note was full of ten- 
derness, beyond words to express, and more than ever 
did the husband realize the value of the treasure of a 
thoughtful, devoted wife in times of trial and deadly 
peril, so many times exemplified on the plains when 
the hearts and patience of men would fail. 

After the loss of one-half of the little relief party, 
the others reached Sutter's fort in the Sacramento val- 
ley, and with some provisions and assistance, they re- 
turned to "Starved Camp," to find that 36 had died of 
starvation, and 44 were still living, having prolonged 
life by subsisting upon the bodies of those who had 
died. No pen can describe the horror of the scene that 



ELDORADO 115 

met the gaze of husband and father, as he entered the 
huts buried deep under the snow. In some instances 
only by repeated calls could the inhabitants be located, 
when the poor, starved and half-frozen specters would 
crawl out to the surface. Upon reaching Captain Bon- 
ner's cabin, he was found in a dying condition, but no 
entreaties, not even of her husband, could induce his 
wife to leave him and go with the rescuing party. She 
remained in devotion to her husband and perished with 
him, proving the strength of woman's love beyond all 
price. The rescuers were able to take only a part of 
those in the camp. The others were obliged to remain 
until their return. 

Mrs. Reed's two little girls gave out after going 
some two miles. The mother was informed that these 
two children must return to camp. At first she refused 
to advance further, desiring to return with them. At 
last, learning that the leader of the relief party was 
a ]\rason, she exacted a promise upon his honor as a 
member of that fraternity that he would return for her 
two children and consented to go on. One of them, a 
little heroine of eight, said to her mother. "Well, kiss 
me good-bye. I shall never see you again, but I shall 
die willingly if I can believe you will live to see papa. 
Tell him good-bye for his poor little Patty." The scene 
was heartrending. >\Iother and children clung to each 
other until torn apart. Mrs. Reed, after much suffer- 
ing, joined her husband, whom she found temporarily 
prostrated, but through her presence and care he was 
soon able to return. Ha]ipily he found little Patty and 
her brother alive, though they had been subjected to 
terrible sufferings. 

Bad as were the scenes at the mountain camp on the 



ii6 ELDORADO 

first visit of the rescuers, it was ten-fold worse when 
the second party arrived. Upon every hand were to 
be seen traces of meals upon human flesh. The wife 
and children of the heroic Eddy had all died from 
starvation. Three little daughters of Captain Donner 
were saved, two of whom I became acquainted with 
after they arrived at womanhood, while residing- at 
Cook's Bar on the Consumnes river. The elder of the 
two girls was a handsome black-eyed brunette, and be- 
came Mrs. Wilder, the wife of a successful miner and 
rancher. One of Jacob Donner's and three of George 
Donner's children were rescued in an emaciated and 
almost dying condition, and carried over the mountains 
in the arms of strong men. An infamous wretch by 
the name of Clark went back with Reed, ostensiblv to 
aid the emigrants, but really to rob them. He stole a 
quantity of goods and two guns, which he carried 
away, and left a little child to perish. Donner Lake 
one of the finest bodies of water in the high Sierras, 
was named in honor of Captain Donner. the leader of 
this unfortunate party. 

Upon my arrival at the Sink. I found Mr. Moody 
in a much improved condition. We were unable to 
get any trace of the balance of our companv. and de- 
termined, late in the afternoon of the second dav after 
mv arrival, to start for Carson river. 4=; miles distant 
T packed mv pony and we started at =; o'clock d. m., and 
made the distance, bv constant walkinp-, in i-^ hours, ar- 
riving at "Ragtown." two or three miles before reach- 
ing Carson river, at 8 o'clock in the mo^niner. The last 
T5 miles of the road was a loose, vielding sand. 

This had been a most disastrous piece of road to 
those who had preceded us. The sand was of suffi- 



ELDORADO 117 

cient depth to cover the wagon felHes as the jaded 
and worn-out animals labored under the stimulant of 
the brad and lash to draw their burdens. "It was the 
last straw that broke the camel's back." The last 10 
miles we could walk almost the entire distance upon the 
bodies of dead and dying animals, horses, mules and 
oxen, by the score, still attached to the wagons, lying 
in and along the roadside, in harness and yoke. Driv- 
ers, with women and children, had abandoned all to 
seek water and save their own lives. The stock with 
sufficient strength left to travel in some instances were 
detached from wagons and urged along, loose, before 
them. The ground was strewn with guns, ox chains 
and every kind of thing that had been abandoned. And 
to this day that sandy plain is covered with the bleached 
bones of the faithful beasts that perished on that fatal 
desert. By exercising due care and caution,! passed 
over the ground in safety with my train in 1853, with 
all the evidences of the terrible losses in '49 and '50 
still visible. 

"Ragtown" was so named from a party of Califor- 
nians who came over the mountains with a pack train 
of provisions to supply "hard-up" emigrants, as a 
money making scheme. This was the first "white man's 
town" (except the Mormon city) upon which we had 
had an opportunity to feast our eyes and cheer our 
drooping souls since leavng the frontier settlements of 
Iowa five months before. A number of tents had been 
erected to be used as a store, sleeping and cooking 
rooms. I could not answer for Mood}-, for he was al- 
ways both hungry and dry — with a big D — but for my- 
self, I "squandered" four bits for thin soup, served in a 
tin cup, and $1 each for two biscuits. (It was the best 



ii8 ELDORADO 

place for catching suckers that I have ever seen.) As 
we were uncertain whether our company was in the 
rear or in advance of us, Mr. Moody decided to remain 
at Ragtown for a few days, still hoping to join them, 
and more especially as he could secure a "job" as "sec- 
ond cook" in making beef soup and biscuit. 

By economy and small purchases I had managed to 
preserve a portion of my provisions, which I left with 
Moody in the event of the "boys" putting in an appear- 
ance, reserving a small portion to last me over the 
mountains. I only remained a couple of hours at Rag- 
town, when I pushed on to the river where better feed 
and water could be obtained. Here I camped alone 
for the night. T gave my comrade my vest and an ex- 
tra pair of socks I had "hung onto," as a parting gift, 
as he had neither, and my coat would do me very well 
without a vest. 

My next and last meeting place with Moody, was in 
January, 1853, at "Dave Hammer's tavern," in Maren- 
go, 111., where we took dinner together. He had made 
his "pile" in the mines, returned to his old home in 
Vermont, where he purchased a fine farm, married and 
settled down. He wore eye-glasses, sported a gold 
watch, wore a nugget ring and a fine suit of clothes, 
getting all he wanted to eat and plenty of water to 
drink. 

Carson river and valley, where I made my camp after 
crossing the 45-mile desert, were for many years before 
the discovery of gold and the advent of civilizing influ- 
ences along with white settlers, the paradise of hunters 
and trappers. The river abounded in nmskrat and 
beaver, the pelts of which found ready market at old 
Fort Hall and other trading posts of the Hudson Bay 



ELDORADO 119 

Bay Company. The contiguous Sierra range, with its 
summits covered with eternal snows, overlooking the 
valley, was the home of the grizzly bear, mountain 
lion, deer and other smaller game. Buffalo and ante- 
lope roamed over the vast plains and valleys extending 
eastward from the Sierra Nevada, across the Rockies 
to the bottoms of the Platte and Arkansas rivers, alto- 
gether making this the ideal place of the intrepid and 
hardv mountaineer. 



I20 EIvDORADO 



CHAPTER XII. 



HUxMTKR AND TRAPPER. 

As early as 1830 such noted hunters and trappers as 
Carson, Fitzgerald, Walker, Bent, and, a little later, 
Bridger, Sublett, Peg-leg Smith, old Bill Williams and 
others of lesser note had made their headquarters on 
the banks of the Carson river and grazed tlieir ponies 
upon the luscious bunch and buffalo grasses that cov- 
ered the valley and foothills. Here they fought the 
thieving and hostile redskins, who would rob their 
traps and steal their horses. On one occasion, a paryt 
of 30 Indians robbed the trappers at night, driving off a 
number of their horses. Bridger, with five of his men 
took up the trail and foiuid the Indians in a wooded 
canyon with the horses tied to saplings, with the ex- 
ception of one which they had killed and on which 
they were preparing to feast, all being grouped about 
a roaring fire, and thoughtless of danger. Bridger and 
his men approached to within 50 yards without being 
discovered and poured in a murderous fire with rifie 
and pistol, killing 11, the others fleeing in dismay. 
Cutting their horses loose they returned in safety to 
camp, having taught the redskins a lesson not soon for- 
gotten. 

In the spring of 1832, Carson, thinking he could do 
better traping on his own account, took two men and 
leaving the party on Carson river, went higher up into 
the motmtains, thus avoiding Indian troubles and se- 



ELDORADO 121 

curing a number of beavers. He had good success, and 
carrying his furs to Taos, sold them to the traders 
there and joined a Captain Lee, who was an army of- 
ficer and went to Green river, where they met another 
party of trappers. An Indian, who had been with the 
other company, had, the night before Captain Lee's ar- 
rival, stolen six of their best horses and fled. Having 
obtained Lee's permission to go in pursuit, Carson got 
a young Ute warrior to accompany him, and the two 
set oft on the trail of the horse thief. He had a good 
start and was rapidly making his way towards Califor- 
nia. After going about one hundred miles the horse 
of the Ute gave out and Carson pushed on alone, over- 
taking the Indian about thirty miles further on. As 
soon as he saw Carson he dismounted and sought cover 
behind some rocks. Carson determined to risk a shot 
while riding towards him at full speed (the Indian was 
armed with a rifle) and by good luck his ball pierced 
the Indian's heart. The stock was taken back to camp, 
which the young Ute had already reached. Meeting 
Bridger and Fitzpatrick, who had been to Fort Hall 
to dispose of their furs, they returned together to their 
old quarters in Carson valley. 

Next to Carson, probably no mountaineer gained 
more notoriety for exciting experiences in frontier life, 
as an Indian fighter, than William Sublette. "Sub- 
lette's cut-off." between the South Pass and Salt Lake, 
on which were the Soda and Steamboat springs, re- 
ceived its name from this brave trapper. He brought 
the first wagon that had ever crossed the Rocky mount- 
ains through the South Pass in 1830, and his trail was 
followed ever after by all making their way to the Pa- 
cific Slope. 



122 ELDORADO 

On one occasion, while trapping on Carson river, 
Sublette had gone out alone to look for some horses 
that had strayed, and came across two Indians on foot 
driving them off. One of them had just succeeded in 
catching a horse as Sublette came up, and, mounting it, 
he hurried the others off as rapidly as possible. Sub- 
lette made chase after the one who was still on foot. 
and who was endeavoring to reach the mountains. He 
soon overtook the Indian, who turned and drew his 
knife, which Sublette by a sweep of his tomahawk sent 
flying into the air. He then grappled with the savage, 
intending to throw him. The Indian proved strong and 
active, however, and was a match for Sublette. In the 
midst of their struggle Sublette saw the other Indian 
coming swiftly up, rifle in hand. He saw that he must 
kill both of the savages to save his own life. Holding 
the one close to him and between himself and the 
mounted Indian, he succeeded in drawing one of his 
pistols as the redskin on horseback dashed up. The 
trapper fired and the Indian dropped from his horse. 
With the butt of his pistol he beat the other about the 
head and face until he fell to the ground insensible. 
Cleaving his skull uath his tomahawk, he scalped him, 
and mounting his haltered horse rode some distance, 
then entered the stream which led to his camp, thus de- 
stroving all trace of his course. 

The Utes, upon finding the dead bodies, supposed 
they had been killed by their enemies, the Diggers, with 
whom they were constantly at war. After dancing 
around them furiosuly for two or three days, they 
started out to obtain revenge for their dead braves from 
the poor Diggers. 

Sublette once performed an act of heroism seldom 



ELDORADO 123 

if ever equaled. A party of trappers had been sur- 
rounded by hundreds of Indians, and had cut their way 
through, lighting, and retreating, day and night, and 
nearly perished for want of food, water and sleep. 
Time after time they were surrounded, but continued 
to break through the encircling lines until at last they 
reached a place of safety. The last shot from the sav- 
ages proved an unlucky one for Sublette. A solid ounce 
ball from an Indian rifle struck him in the ankle, and 
tore through the flesh and bone. It was a terrible 
wound, even had there been a surgeon to amputate and 
dress it. What then must it have been when no medical 
or surgical assistance could be had ! But the leg must 
be amputated or the man would die. It was done. Tak- 
ing a beaver knife, the edge was hacked into a saw 
while another was sharpened to its keenest edge, and 
with these rude implements Sublette amputated his 
own leg. The plates of beaver traps were heated red- 
hot and applied to the raw and bleeding stump, char- 
ring the veins and arteries and stopping the flow of 
blood. Thus the trapper was saved. Going back to 
St. Louis as soon as his condition would permit, he 
submitted to another operation to make a smoother job 
and a better stump, and soon afterwards was back- 
again on the plains and in the mountains, hunting, 
trapping, and fighting Indians the same as before. 

Thus Carson river and valley have been made ever 
memorable by the numerous tragedies and heroic deeds 
enacted by the brave, adventurous mountaineers, hunt- 
ers and trappers of those early days, whose achieve- 
ments and deeds of daring read like the most sensa- 
tional romance. 



124 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XIH. 



TO THE MINES. 

The following day, after my arrival at Carsan, I 
again packed my ever- faithful pony, now my only 
companion, and journeyed some 15 miles up the valley 
to a Mormon trading post, known as "Reese's station." 
It was located at the base of the mountain near where 
the trail leaves the valley to cross over to Hang- 
town (now Placerville), 100 miles, hence to Sacra- 
mento valley and city, 40 miles. Comparatively few 
wagons reached this point, the trail being used chiefly 
for pack trains. 

The emigration had so divided up that the Lassen, 
Truckee and Georgetown routes had taken a large por- 
tion of the travel. They were all in about the condition 
that nature formed them, in many places very difiicult 
of passage, being steep and rough. A few years later 
the one over which I traveled was made a very passable 
road for stage coaches and other vehicles. 

I camped a mile from "Reese's" by a mountain 
stream of crystal water, and found a little grass for 
my pony. After a feast of fried bacon and pancakes, 
I spread my blankets and lay down to rest and sleep, 
thinking of my mountain climb on the morrow. I made 
an early start the following morning, feeling much 



ELDORADO 125 

elated over being- so near my journey's end the goal 
of my ambition — the mines of California. I was in 
good health and spirits, and after all, what is more to 
be desired — but not always appreciated — in the great 
rush for gold or fame ? But the most important lessons 
are often learned later in life. I had no use for a can- 
teen that day, as we traveled up a wooded stream of 
beautiful mountain water, crossing it many times. The 
little loaring cascades often met with in shady places 
made sweet music to the ear, after months of weary 
travel over burning alkali plains and sandy deserts. 

At noon we emerged into an open space and left the 
course of the babbling brook. It was a lovely spot for 
our mid-day rest. The air was cool and delightfully 
invigorating, with glimpses through the scattered pine? 
of the valley we had left in the early morning. The 
ascent had been gradual, a distance of six or seven 
miles. After an hour's stop we pursued our upward 
march. As we advanced the forest became more dense 
and the trees larger and the traveling comparatively 
good. 

As night approached and the shadows lengthened be- 
hind us I began to look for a suitable place to pass the 
night. Just at that time I happened to notice in the 
dusty road a fresh track going in the direction we were 
traveling, and, giving it closer inspection, I was satis- 
fied that it was the track of a grizzly bear of an enor- 
mous size. I confess to a little chill creeping up my 
back. I had not yet become familiar with the habits 
of bears of that particular species. However, I could 
neither turn to the right or left, nor retreat. I had to 
follow right after Mr. Bear, even if I should overtake 
him. As it began to grow dusk we came to a small 



126 ELDORADO 

pond of water, formed by a cienega, about which grew 
sufficient grass for my pony. It was closely surrounded 
by the forest of mountain pines. There I unpacked 
and camped, gathering plenty of dry material for a 
fire, as I had resolved to keep it replenished during the 
night. I felt a degree of loneliness and depression that 
I had not previously experienced during the entire 
journey. I had never feared the Indians, but to sleep 
where a grizzly was liable to come into camp at any 
moment for his supper was not a very pleasant reflec- 
tion, and the more I thought about it, as the darkness 
increased in the gloomy depths of the surrounding 
forest the more likely it seemed to happen. I spread 
my blankets and made my bed beside a big pine log 
occasionally rising to replenish my fire. I heard, or 
thought I heard, the crackling of dry twigs during the 
night, and the approach of footsteps, but the morning 
found me and the pony in. our normal condition, and 
with a better appetite for my breakfast than I enjoved 
for my supper.' 

After another day's travel towards the summit of 
the Sierras, much of the way over a rough and pre- 
cipitous road, through heavy forests of pine, we 
camped near large bodies of snow. The day had been 
mild, but the night was cold and cheerless. The stars 
shone with their usual brilliancy through the clear at- 
mosphere of this high altitude, and t he mountain 
peaks could be seen standing out bare and white like 
huge sentinels above the lower surrounding forests. 
There is something, an undefinable feeling that all men 
experience, I believe, when alone in the solitude of r 
mountain camp ; an awe and loneliness, that ha^^dlv can 
be expressed. What if I be taken suddenly ill or at- 




jEi\^ l.^WU^ft:^ 



ELDORADO 127 

tacked by wild beasts. Thoughts of home, friends and 
far-away scenes came trooping into the mind. The 
vastness and grandeur of the surroundings lead the 
thoughts to God and of one's insignificance as a factor 
in the universe. 

With such thoughts and feelings I lay upon my 
blankets, rising occasionally to replenish my fire, until, 
overcome for want of rest after the fatiguing walk of 
the day, 1 fell asleep. On awakening, the rays of the 
morning sun were glittering through the open spaces 
between the green foliage of the aromatic mountain 
monarchs. The unpleasant fancies of the night, like 
the thin fabrics of a dream, had entirely disappeared. 

Two or three hours after again commencing our 
journev, when stopping for a short rest, I Jooked back 
over the road we had traveled and noticed a single 
horseman coming in my direction, leading a pack ani- 
mal. As he drew near, T recognized Mr. Coleman, my 
opponent as attorney in the shooting afifair on the 
Platte. Our meeting was most timely and cordial. We 
had not met for over three months. Neither of us had 
seen a human being since leaving Carson vallev. We 
traveled and messed together until we arrived at the 
mines on the American river. Upon arriving at the 
sum.mit the same dav of our meeting, we found that the 
main traveled road turned to the left along the ridge, 
and a plain pack t^ail leadino- di'-cctlv down the slope 
which we felt assumed would intersect the p'-incipal 
tho'-ou£rhfare at no great distance, and accc-dingly we 
decided to save time bv taking what proved to be an- 
other "fool's cut-ofT." 

Going about a mile down the bare declivitv, we came 
I0 a small lake, made by the melting snows, surrounded 



128 ELDORADO 

by a grove of young pines just below the timber 
line. Here we camped for the night. Making an early 
start in the morning we continued our course, follow- 
ing a little stream that flowed from the lake, soon 
reaching the head of a rocky, thickly wooded canyon, 
where all trace of our trail suddenly disappeared ; it 
very likely having been made by Indians, prospectors 
or bears. 

In making the descent into the canyon we were com- 
pelled to steady our animals down the smooth and 
shelving declivity of rocks, their feet long since having 
become well worn and shoeless. Looking back we de- 
clared if we were obliged to retrace our steps they 
could not make the ascent up the steep incline. We 
continued down the stream that was constantly becom- 
ing enlarged by melting snows and flowing springs. 
We learned later that this was the source of the Ameri- 
can river, on which gold was discovered in 1848. 

After continuing a short distance further down the 
canyon to where the sides began to be steep and high 
and trending to the north, we decided our wisest and 
safest course was to turn due south, the direction in 
which we knew the main course of travel lay. Ac- 
cordingly, with much difficulty on leaving the stream 
we climbed to the more elevated open pine timber and 
made our camp for the night just as the sun was dis- 
appearing in the west. We had filled our canteens be- 
fore leaving the canyon, but no water and but littk 
grass could be had for our horses that night. The fol- 
lowing morning we pursued a southerly course, travel- 
ing through a forest of magnificent pine and redwood 
of wonderful size and height, and as straight as the 
mast of a ship. 



ELDORADO 129 

Shortly before noon we reached the main road that 
we should have taken at the summit, and at nightfall 
arrived at Leek Springs, 25 miles above Placerville, 
where a trading post and a place of entertainment was 
kept by Americans. Here we obtained a meal such as 
"our mothers used to cook." We were now in Califor- 
nia, and one more day's travel would complete our five 
months' overland journey "across the plains seeking the 
golden fleece." Having passed successfully through 
its many perils and hardships, now what of the future? 
Time alone would tell. 

Leaving the springs at an early hour by a gradual 
descent over a comparatively good wagon road, 20 
miles brought us to Johnson's ranch, which consisted 
of a double log and shake house, kept as a trading post 
chiefly to supply the miners with tools and provisions. 
It also had, in addition, a dining room and sleeping 
accommodations, which latter consisted of bunks ar- 
ranged against the wall one above another. Although 
desirous of obtaining a square meal and sleeping: again 
in a white man's house, I had to forego that pleasure, 
as upon taking account of mv financial resources I 
found $.^ constituted mv entire capital, besides mv 
ponv, pack saddle, blankets, coffee pot. and frying pan. 
Consequentlv I submitted to the inevitable, p'*eoa»"ed 
mv suDper in the usual wav. and spread mv blankets 
for a bed under a fricndlv pine tree. Several miners 
from the south fork of the American river, about one 
mile distant, also passed the night there. Among them 
was one who claimed to have made a rich strike on a 
certain "bar." and exhibited several gold specimens, 
one of the value of three ounces, or about $50. For a 



I30 ElyDORADO 

small sum he would conduct any one to the spot, say- 
ing he would return to it in the morning. 

After consideration, I concluded it was my oppor- 
tunity. Believing I would have no further need for my 
pony, and that in any event she would "eat her head 
off" in a few days, I accepted an offer of $21 for her, 
throwing in the pack saddle I made at Independence 
T^ock. It was like parting with old and tried friends, 
but such was the "irony of fate." My cash capital was 
thereby increased to $24. I contributed $2, with two or 
three other "tenderfeet," to the coffers of the enterpris- 
ing miner to show us where our fortunes could be 
made. I purchased a few articles of provisions, among 
others a small-sized onion, for which I paid $1, being 
told that onions were an antidote for the scurvy, with 
which many were said to be afflicted and some of them 
dying. With a further investment in pick, pan and 
shovel I shouldered my entire outfit and started for the 
"diggings" six miles up the south fork of the Ameri- 
can river. 

I never learned whether the nuggets displayed by 
the " honest miner" were genuine or spurious. We 
never saw him after reaching the "bar." However, 
after thoroughly prospecting it for two days without 
success, barely getting the "color," we shouldered our 
traps and left to seek our fortunes elsewhere. My 
comrade, Mr. Coleman, proceeded from Johnson's 
lanch directly to Hangtown, and when I saw him for 
the last time, a few days later, he was engaged as "car- 
penter" in the construction of a canvas and shake house 
at $10 per day. 



ELDORADO 131 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE MINKS— PANDEMONIUM. 

After my first unsuccessful venture at mining I re- 
turned to Johnson's ranch and completed my unfin- 
ished journey to Hangtovvn. This place was so named 
from its having been the scene of a triple hanging in 
'49 of three desperados who had exhausted the patience 
of the better class by their many crimes. 

Until the summer of 1850 this was one of the rich- 
est placer mines in the state. The town consisted main- 
ly of one narrow street, following a zigzag course 
along the gulch. The buildings were of cheap material 
and of rude structure, many of them merely miners' 
cabins of cotton cloth or shakes split from pine blocks. 
Piles of dirt and tailings from the abandoned claims 
filled much of the space btween the hills, forming the 
narrow gulch. A few Americans were at work with 
pick, pan and rocker besides quite a number of China- 
men. The town contained about one thousand inhabi- 
tants. The population, like all mining towns at that 
time, was of a mixed class, good, bad and indifferent, 
representing nearly every nationality on the globe and 
some of the worst elem.ents of them all. Every species 
of gambling was in full blast, from faro and three-card 
monte down the list to the thimble and strap game. 



132 ELDORADO 

The latter consisted of doubling a strap of leather and 
rolling it in a round form, and the operator offering to 
bet two, four, or six ounces that no man could so place 
a stick in the loop in the center of the strap that it 
would be caught as the strap was unrolled by the sharp- 
er. Six ounces, or one hundred dollars, were often 
won or lost on both of the last two simple "dead open 
and shut games." 

Night was the time for the gamblers' and other low 
resorts, all of which were run on the high pressure 
principle. This was true, not alone in the mining 
towns, but in all cities as well. San Francisco, Sacra- 
mento and Marysville were wide open towns, where 
tens of thousands of dollars were won or lost nightly. 

Miners gathered from all the surrounding camps into 
Hangtown after the dav's work was over, either to bet 
their dust or witness the exciting scenes in the gam- 
bling rooms. "Coon Holler," Diamond Snrings, Mud 
Springs, Shingle Springs, Dogtown. Fiddletown, Yuba 
Dam, Dead Men's Gulch and the South Fo^k were all 
represented around the gaming tables at nio-ht. 

Personally, I never took anv part or lot in anv game 
of chance save that of a spectator. Faro was the prin- 
cipal ?-ame plaved in all popular gambling houses, and 
a loud wo''d was seldom spoken. A man mieht st^.ke 
and lose his last dollar and silently disappear. Pro- 
fessional gamblers, as a rule, were fine-looking: men 
gentlemen in apnearance and manners. Lavmen from 
"awav back east" have been known to meet a former 
pastor at the gambling table dealing faro. Handsome 
and well-dressed women not infrequently had their 
tables of faro or monte in fashionable resorts and public 
C'amblino- rooms both in the cities and mining towns 



ELDORADO 133 

If a purse was to be made up for a sick or unfortunate 
miner or one disabled by some misfortune, the only 
sure and successful place to obtain contributions for his 
relief or 10 defray his expenses back to the "States" was 
in the gambling rooms. I have seen tens and twenties 
thrown into the hat until the requisite amount was 
made up. A glance at the applicant for charity — whose 
-^ase would be presented by some responsible miner — 
was sufficient, without a question being asked. 

Another class, known as the desperado, preyed not 
alone upon the miner, but upon all classes alike. Not 
gold simply, but life, was too often demanded to satisfy 
their thirst for blood and notoriety. The border ruffian 
from Texas, and escaped convicts from Sydney, known 
as 'Sydney ducks," were among the worst of this class. 

When cards were unlucky and theft impossible, the 
desperado did not hesitate to live upon the proceeds of 
another obtained by sin and shame. If wishing to make 
a raise by more desperate means, he was always careful 
to get "the drop" on his victim. His "best hold," how- 
ever, was in bluffing the verdant pilgrim just from the 
East, known on the plains as the "greenhorn" and in 
the mountains as the "tenderfoot." The cowardly des- 
perado would pull his revolvers around to the front so 
the handles could be seen, ruffle his hair, and, with 
fierce looks and terrible oaths, placing himself in front 
of his victim, would address him about as follows : 
"Seen yer before, young feller ! Can't call yer 
name. Oh, yes, Jones. Lemme tell yer, Jones, this 
yere's a bad place, heap er bad men — bad man myself — 
saved yer life the other night. Don't tell me I lie! — 
(reaches for his pistol) — saved yer life — lend me a 
fiver. Ain't slept for a week — been drunk a month ; 



134 ELDORADO 

would just as lief kill a man as eat ! Ugh !" Makes a 
motion to draw his revolvers. The frightened tender- 
foot, anxious to escape from such a dangerous man, 
readily hands over the first coin he comes to, whether a 
$5 or $io, and insists that no change shall be ofifered 
back. 

The banding together of these desperate criminals 
in San Francisco for plunder, led to the organization of 
the vigilance committee in 1856, in which Gen. W. T. 
Sherman, Judge Terry and other men of note were 
concerned. The murder of "James King of William" 
by Casey was the last act in the fearful drama preced- 
ing the vigilantes. King was the founder and editor of 
the Evening Bulletin, and was somewhat intemperate 
in his language in denouncing the murderous gangs 
that infested the city. He was a brave, honest man 
and good citizen. 

Gold dust was the only circulating medium until 
185 1, when $16, or ounce pieces, and $50 octagonal 
"slugs" were coined by private parties. Twenty-five 
cents was the least amount paid for any article, how- 
ever small. A single pie sold for $1, and other articles 
of luxury in the eating line in like proportion. When- 
ever a pencil, an egg, a drink or a cigar was purchased 
the buckskin bag of dust was presented, and what the 
seller could take with his thumb and finger went for 
two bits. Scales were used later. 

The only mining implements in 1849-50 were the 
shovel, pick, pan and rocker, and long handle dipper 
used while sitting and rocking the "cradle" with the 
left hand, dipping water into the hopper in which the 
dirt was placed. This was followed by the "Long 
Tom" and sluice, into which the water was conveyed 



ELDORADO 135 

by gravity while the miners stood upon either side and 
shoveled ui the auriferous earth. Finally the hydraulic 
process was adopted, the most rapid and efficacious of 
all. 

The first quartz lead discovered and worked was by 
Alvinza Hayward, on Rancheri creek in Amador coun- 
ty, near where I was placer mining at the time. I be- 
lieve that after the lapse of 50 years it is still valuable. 

The day after my arrival in Placerville, I left for 
Live Oak bar, on the South Fork, three miles due 
north, hoping to make a strike to replenish my nearly 
exhausted finances. Meeting with a small mining par- 
ty whom 1 had known 'back in the States," I was 
welcomed as one of their number. 
. We remained there a couple of weeks, realizing only 
fair compensation for our labor, and then went 12 
miles down the river to Coloma. This is where gold 
was first discovered on January 19, 1848, by James W. 
Marshall, who had contracted to build a sawmill for 
Gen. John A. Sutter. He had turned the waters of the 
river into the race in order to widen and deepen it, and 
when the water was turned ofif he noticed several yel- 
low particles in the sand, and picked up a number of 
them, one weighing several pennyweights. The news 
of the discovery did not reach San Francisco until Feb- 
ruary, 1848. Then followed such an excitement as 
the world had never before seen. Its thrill went to 
the remotest corners of the earth, and caused among all 
classes the most intense excitement. The eyes and 
thoughts of all men turned to California as the land 
of promise, and suddenly all ways seemed to lead to 
her golden shores. 

Here, within 100 yards of the old millrace, we built a 



136 ELDORADO 

wingdam in the river for the purpose of turning its 
waters, hoping to strike it rich ni tlie natural channel 
The fact tnat only a small volume of water was flowing 
at that season of the year made the operation easy. Our 
anticipations were not realized, however, only a small 
amount of gold being obtained. We continued pros- 
pecting down the stream until "Mormon island" and 
"Nigger hiU" were reached, near where the town of 
Foisom now is. 

Returning to Placerville, I decided to go to Sacra- 
mento to learn if any letters had reached there from 
home. Accordingly, leaving my mining tools, I shoul- 
dered my blankets, starting on foot for the "city,"' 
reaching it the loilowmg clay i found it a busy "burg ' 
of two or three thousand inhabitants. The buildings 
were mainly of canvas or other light material and very 
much scattered. As it was not steamer day when I ar- 
rived, I had but little difficulty in obtaining my mail 
and was rejoiced to learn that all were well and anxious 
for my return. 

Previous to the acquisition of California by the Unit- 
ed States in 1848, there was not a postoffice in the ter- 
ritory. The official documents to and from Mexico, as 
well as the correspondence of the missionaries, were 
taken by special carriers, and as there were no newspa- 
pers published or circulated in the country, there was 
but little need of postal facilities. The few foreigners 
in the country would send or receive an occasional let- 
ter by some trader or whaleship touching on the coast. 
As soon as the United States asserted authority over 
the territory the newspaper press commenced opera- 
tions and postoffices were established in the country ; 
but at this early day and for many years subsequent all 



ELDORADO 137 

mail matter to the Pacific Coast had to cross the Isth- 
mus ox i^anama, tlience by sceamer to isaii rrancisco, 
irom 24 to 30 aays oeing occupied m uie voyage noui 
Aew iork to iSan l^rancisco. 

it generally required irom sixty to ninety days from 
the date ot writmg a letter to the receipt 01 an answer 
by the isthmus route, i'ostage on tlie halt ounce in 
those days was 10 cents when the distance was over 
three hundred miles, 'ihe arrival ot the semi-monthly 
steamer at ban i^rancisco was an event celebrated by 
the bring of guns and the ringing of bells, and was the 
signal tor a general rush of tne inhabitants to the post- 
otnce, where long lines of anxious letter seekers would 
take their position, "first come first served" being the 
rule, and woe betide the unfortunate wretch whose 
temerity caused him to attempt to break the restless, 
anxious, swaying line of the gray and blue shirt bri- 
gade, extending from the postoffice windows. 

As the lengthening columns swayed and wriggled 
sometimes a half-mile in length, great anxiety and im- 
patience were often manifested by persons wishing to 
get to the all-important window of the postoffice. Rug- 
ged miners who had not perhaps for a year heard a 
word from home, and anxious merchants whose fate 
depended upon their letters and invoices, seeing no 
hope of approaching the office for hours, would offer 
liberal sums to buy out some fortunate one in the line. 
From five to twenty dollars were average prices, but 
fifty and one hundred dollars were often paid for a 
good position near the window. The expression of 
countenance of those paying highest rates when forced 
to leave the window without a letter, was a study be- 
yond description. 



138 ELDORADO 

"Selling out" in line soon became a trade, and many 
an impecunious person pocketed his ten or twenty dol- 
lars three or four times a day by selling out and hitch- 
ing on to the rear end of the line again. In some cases 
over anxious individuals would take their position at 
the window one or two days before the arrival of the 
expected steamer, and remain there, only leaving 
when forced to seek food and drink. Sometimes during 
their brief absence from their post the steamer's 
gun would fire and after a breakneck race of a few 
minutes they would be forced to attach themselves to 
the extreme end of a line a cjuarter or half a mile in 
length. Great relief was experienced some years later 
by the establishment of the "pony express,"' which car- 
ried letters from the Missouri river to San Francisco 
in twelve to fifteen days at 25 cents the half ounce. 



ELDORADO 139 



CHAPTER XV. 



JUDGE LYNCH. 

The civil law was not adequate to all the exigencies 
arising under the conditions existing during the early 
history of California. Theft and murder were of rare 
occurrence among the miners, but whenever they did 
occur it was not a very difficult matter for the culprit 
to escape in the wild unsettled mountainous region, 
and, if caught, a rescue by his pals was almost sure to 
occur. 

There existed no suitable safe place to hold a crimi- 
nal during the pending of a trial. An old prison brig 
lying at the wharf in the river at Sacramento was the 
only place of confinement in all that portion of the state 
for a number of years. 

Under the circumstances. Judge Lynch was appealed 
to in most cases, and the punishment was sure and 
made to fit the case. I witnessed but one instance of 
mob law while in the mines. A man was caught in the 
act of stealing a buckskin purse of gold dust from a 
miner's cabin. A meeting of the miners was called, a 
consultation was held, and by a unanimous verdict the 
thief was to receive fifty lashes on the bare back. The 
sentence was carried out by administering the punish- 



I40 EIvDORADO 

ment with a rawhide while the culprit was tsrapped to 
a fallen pine tree. He was a man of strong nerve, and 
bore the cruel strokes with much fortitude. He was 
then ordered to leave the diggings and was told that 
if found there again he would receive even more severe 
treatment. 

In 1854, while I was ranching on the Cosumnes river, 
20 miles from Sacramento City, two cases of mob law 
occurred. In one instance a notoriously bad character 
by the name of Bill Lomax was charged with the mur- 
der of a Prussian, who had the day previous to the mur- 
der sold a number of cattle and was supposed to have 
the money. Fortunately, it had been deposited in a 
Placerville bank. He was assaulted in his cabin dur- 
ing the night with an axe, and, being a large, powerful 
man, made a desperate fight for his lite. His body was 
found the following morning about twenty steps from 
his door. Seventeen wounds had been inflicted on him 
with the axe and a large knife. The weapons, be- 
smeared with blood, were lying by his body. His 
hands were badly cut by having grasped the blade of 
the knife in the hands of his assailant. I was sum- 
moned upon the coroner's jury and careful inquiry 
pointed strongly to Lomax as the murderer. 

Three men started in pursuit and traced him to Sac- 
ramento, where he was found in a saloon. They re- 
turned with him and word was immediately sent out 
to the ranchers and miners, who collected the following 
morning, chose judge and jury, heard the evidence, re- 
turned a verdict of guilty and gave him one hour to 
prepare for death by hanging. When the time ex- 
pired a rope was placed around his neck and he was 
taken to a nearby live oak tree, and the rope was 



ELDORADO 141 

thrown over a limb, and he was hauled up and left to 
die. The trial was had at the "Old Daily Adobe" hotel 
and ranch house, the proprietor of which at the time 
was a justice of the peace. A deputy sheriff was also 
present from Sacramento during the entire proceed- 
ings, but was not permitted to interfere. 

On another occasion, near the same locality, two men 
were caught with stolen horses and mules, driving 
them to the horse market at Sacramento. As in the 
case above related a meeting was called of nearby 
ranchers and the miners of Cook's and Michigan bars, 
three miles above. A judge and jury were selected 
and the testimony of the owner of the stock was heard, 
proving his "brand," and that it had not been "vented" 
or a bill of sale given, as was customary in all cases of 
sale and transfer of property. 

The prisoners were found guilty and sentenced to 
have one-half of their heads shaved, to be branded "R" 
on the right cheek, receive 100 lashes on the bare back, 
and if found in the county after three davs, to be hung. 
One of them, a fine-looking man. well dressed and gen- 
tlemanlv in appearance, begged to be hung instead of 
receiving the penalty prescribed by the jurv. After 
being stripped to the waist thev were lashed to a tree 
and an Indian emplove was ordered to do the whip- 
ping with a braided rawhide riata, such as was used 
for lassoing stock. A committee was appointed to see 
that the lashes were properlv laid on. One of the 
committee was a Presbvterian deacon of large pro])- 
ertv interests and a ranch owner. 

After administering 50 lashes the committee decided 
to remit the balance, as the men were unable to bear 
the torture. Tt looked cruel and inhuman, and not all 



142 EIvDORADO 

eyes among the spectators were tearless. The piteous 
groans of the culprits 'broke the deacon all up," as the 
quivering flesh turned black under every stroke of the 
riata. 

This method of administering punishment in those 
days was sanctioned by the best element in the coim- 
try, and so far as I observed, the trials were conducted 
in as orderly a manner as usually prevails in more pre- 
tentious legal proceedings. From one to two hours 
was all the time needed to determine the guilt or inno- 
cence of the accused. If guilty the sentence was at 
once carried into execution without unnecessary delay. 
In some instances injustice may have been done, and so 
it sometimes occurs under legal forms prescribed by the 
statutes. 

Tn the mineral portions of the state, more especially, 
"trial bv the people" without judicial process continued 
until 1856. Then the climax was reached bv the vigi- 
lantes in San Francisco, organized to clear the citv of 
thugs and assassins, which the civil authorities failed 
or were unable to do. Thev dominated the state gov- 
ernment for two months. Governor J- Neelv Johnson 
in the meantime taking a vacation at a pleasant moun- 
tain resort. , 

Another instance of summarv justice will still fur- 
ther illustrate the means bv which the miners soueht 
to protect their lives and propertv. Possiblv a little 
less severitv mip-ht have accomplished the desi'-ed end 
and object, but it was not so regarded at the time. T 
am sure there was no element of persecution or re- 
venp-e present in the cases T have related, but the public 
welfare alone was considered. 

Lvnch law in California, at the time of which T am 



ELDORADO 143 

writing-, was, in fact, the only means of redress and 
protection from robbery and murder, and tended to 
prevent the crimes that would otherwise have been 
more frequent. 

It is only justified when the civil law cannot be in- 
voked or its officials utterly fail to enforce its demands 
and penalties. Such for a time was the condition ex- 
isting in California. To a lawless element gathered 
from almost every nation, people and tongue in the 
wild world, the civil law had no terrors. In fact, the 
State had but recently emerged from a chaotic and 
half-civilized condition without any well established 
civil juris])rudence. 

A sailor, a deserter from the ship "Ohio." attempted 
one night to rob a store at a mining camp on the xA.mer- 
ican river. ■ He had already secured two bags of gold 
dust, containing about $3,000, but not satisfied with 
that he grasped for a third, when the owner awoke 
and gave the alarm. After a hot pursuit, the thief was 
captured and bound to a tree until morning, when a 
jury of twelve miners were chosen to try the case. Of 
course he was found guilty and sentenced to be hcmged ; 
but some. opposition being raised to taking his life, a 
milder punishment was suggested, and it was finally 
determined that he should receive a hundred lashes 
on his bare back, have his ears cropped, and his head 
shaved, so that he might everywhere be recognized in 
the mining districts. This sentence gave general sat- 
isfaction. The thief was at once fastened by his hands 
to the branch of a tree, and the duly appointed officers 
proceeded to shave his head, while some cf the sailors 
of the party manufactured a "cat-o' nine-tails." His 
feet were then tied to the foot of a tree, and a doctor 



144 ELDORADO 

cut off his ears, from the stumps of which he bled free- 
ly while receiving" his tiogging. He was then ordered 
lo leave at once and when about a mile away, he stole 
a mule and rode to the Calaveras diggings, where the 
animal was claimed by the owner. He was thereupon 
tried for mule stealing, and sentenced to receive an- 
other flogging, but when he was stripped, his back 
was found so shockingly cut up that the miners had 
compassion on him and drove him from the district, 
where he was not likely to ever appear again. 



ELDORADO 145 



CHAPTER XVI. 



MINING EXPERIENCE. 

About the first of January, 1851, I met some friends 
from Illinois, who had preceded me on the overland 
trip, and it was agreed that we become mining part- 
ners. At the same time we decided to leave that locality 
and try our fortune in Amador county — which joins 
Eldorado on the south — as we had heard favorable re- 
ports from that section. Accordingly we shouldered 
our "traps" and after a hard day's tramp over mount- 
ain spurs, across brush and wooded canyons, fording 
the upper Cosumnes river — better known as the "Ma- 
cosma" — we arrived near nightfall at Drytown, a min- 
ing camp on Dry Creek in the aforesaid county. The 
inevitable saloon, gambling, and dance house, as in all 
mining towns, were prominent features of the place. 
The "shingle" of the man who neither used the "hoe," 
shovel, or rocker, but reaped a rich harvest neverthe- 
less, was in evidence as elsewhere, bearing the "leg- 
end" "Si compra oro aqui" — gold dust bought here. 

We looked out a suitable camping place under the 
friendly protection of a neighboring pine tree suf- 
ficientlv distant from the disturbing revelry of the 
"madding crowd," cooked our evening meal and 
spread our blankets for the night's rest. Bright and 



146 ELDORADO 

early the following morning found us prospecting Dry 
creek below the town. A sufficient amount of rain 
had not fallen up to that time to raise the streams, 
consequently a very small amount of water flowed in 
the creek. 

Like most of the "placers" in all that mining re- 
gion, we found the ground had been superficially 
worked the previous winter of '49. We located claims 
and not having packed our tools with us from our last 
mining camp purchased rockers and other necessary 
implements and began operations. In removing a 
pile of tailings deposited by a "forty-niner" my shovel 
uncovered a nugget of gold weighing half an ounce, 
or eight dollars. This was the largest specimen I 
found during my mining experience. We continued 
our labors at this place a couple of weeks without suf- 
ficient encouragement to remain longer, so again 
shouldering our blankets and cooking utensils we went 
about two miles farther south and staked claims on 
what was known as the "Rancharee." A small spring 
supplied water for our domestic use and standing wa- 
ter was observed along the otherwise dry bed of the 
stream. After selecting our camp we returned for 
our tools, which we carried upon our backs ; in fact all 
our provisions were transported from Drytown. two 
miles away, in the same manner. 

Up to this time we had no other shelter except what 
nature provided, as the weather had continued warm 
and dry. We were told that rain could be looked for 
at anv time and that snow fell at that altitude some- 
times to considerable depth, so we decided to provide 
some sort of winter quarters. Accordinglv we pur- 
chased a heavv walled duck tent, constructed bunks 



ELDORADO 147 

from pine poles for sleeping arrangements, and built a 
large stone fireplace in the rear end of onr new dwell- 
ing. Our bunks were not as soft as feathers, or even 
as straw, but that objectionable feature was relieved by 
substituting a few pine boughs. Altogether our quar- 
ters were very comfortable. 

It was now midwinter and owing to the lack of wa- 
ter and anticipating rain in the near future, the policy 
was adopted of prospecting with a pan and washing 
the dirt therefrom at some standing pool or nearby 
spring to test its value. If sufficient '"color" was ob- 
tained to justify working, the dirt was carried out 
from the bed and sides of the creek by hand barrows 
made of dried rawhide attached to a couple of short 
poles, one man in front and one in the rear carrying 
the load. Five or six buckets of earth placed thereon 
constituted a load. It was deposited in long extended 
piles on the bank above what was supposed to be high 
water mark to await the coming of the rain. Mis- 
takes were sometimes made in regard to ''high water 
mark.'' and the labor of weeks would be swept awa\- 
by the sudden rise of the rushing waters. In the man- 
ner I have described we carried out some three thou- 
sand buckets of earth before sufificient water could be 
had to use our cradles. 

Before this work was fully accomplished, either 
from insufficient diet or overwork, mv health became 
seriously impaired. No vegetable diet could be ob- 
tained. Our food consisted mainlv of "frijoles" 
fbeans), bacon and pancakes with occasionallv a litt1" 
fresh bear meat. Manv cases of scorbutic disea.'^es 
w^re prevalent and a large number proved fatal. 

After varied experiences during the winter at min- 



148 EI.DORADO 

ing and as a year had nearly elapsed since leaving my 
home in Illinois, I decided to again visit Sacramento 
City in anticipation of hearing from home and friends 
and to remain in the valley for a time with the view of 
improving my health. As no other means of reaching 
or returning from the mining camps existed except 
by pack train I was compelled to make the distance 
(fifty miles) again on foot. After descending to the 
valley of the Consumnes river which was reached on 
the first day, I remained over night at the hotel and 
ranch of "Billy" Wilson on the bank of that stream — 
a beautiful spot surrounded by large spreading live 
oaks, with quite an area under cultivation, the prod- 
ucts being barley, corn and vegetables, and also a 
garden of many varieties of flowers. The hotel was 
a two-story wooden structure, conveniently arranged 
and comfortably furnished, with office, sitting room, 
dining and bed rooms. It was the nearest approach to 
civilization and home life I had met with since leaving 
the frontier of Iowa. The fortunate and enterprising 
proprietor had made a fortune at mining near Hang- 
town in '49, and, purchasing a portion of a Mexican 
grant, was now enjoying the delights of a home with 
an intelligent family, consisting of wife, sons and 
daughters. It was one of the beauty spots of all that 
section. • I greatly appreciated my stay with such 
pleasant surroundings and left the following day with 
reluctance. 

From the time of leaving the foothills the view to 
westward of rolling plains and rich valley lands along 
the river, with an occasional isolated spreading live 
oak, or a cluster of "these beautiful trees, formed a 
most charming picture. Bands of antelope would he 



ElvDOKADO 149 

seen at intervals in the distance, often numbering two 
or three hundred. Jack and cottontail rabbits were 
plentiful. At night and sometimes during the day the 
dismal howl of the coyote would be heard in the ad- 
jacent hills, and chickens were thus warned to roost 
high. These predatory animals were very bold and 
would often approach within a few steps of the door 
of a ranch house to obtain food. While in the mines 
a friend of mine out alone prospecting placed his grub 
bag under his head for a pillow when camping for 
the night. Sleeping soundly after a hard day's tramp 
he gradually became aroused from his slumber by 
something tugging at his pillow, and before he fully 
awoke, his head dropped to the ground. Supposing 
himself to be attacked by nothing less than a grizzly 
he sat up in his fright and uttered a scream somethmg 
in the nature of a warwhoop, or as he expressed it, 
more "like the bellowing of a frightened calf." It 
was, however, so sudden and pronounced a cry that 
the bag was dropped, and a moment later a coyote set 
up a howl not far distant that sounded like a whole 
pack mixing their discordant notes together. My 
friend passed the remainder of the night guarding his 
grub bag. 

I became so impressed with the beauty and apparent 
ricliness of the section bordering the Consumnes river 
that the following five years it became my home. 



I50 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XVII. 



BATTLE OVER LAND CLAIMS. 

Un arriving- at Sacramento I was not as fortunate 
as on my first visit. It being steamer day, live or six 
hours were required to reach the mail dehvery win- 
dow. The city, in the interim since m}' former visit, 
had greatly improved, and many settlers had located 
upon adjacent lands, although they were claimed un- 
der a Mexican grant. Nearly all the arable land in 
California was held by valid or spurious grants ob- 
tained from the Mexican government. The treaty rat- 
ified after the close of the war with that country, Jan- 
uary 19, 1848, agreed to recognize as valid all claims 
that had been confirmed by the Central government of 
Mexico. That condition of affairs caused a great deal 
of friction between those claiming title to large grants 
of land, and others disputing their right and known 
as settlers or squatters. The policy of the American 
government was adverse to granting or donating large 
tracts of land for colonization. One hundred and 
sixty acres was the limit under the Homestead Act, ex- 
cept in the case of Oregon. For a limited time 640 
acres were given to settlers who would brave the dan- 
gers and hardships to found homes in that remote re- 
gion. It was unquestionably the intention of a large 



ELDORADO 151 

majority of those arriving in California during the 
first years of the gold excitement to return to the 
States at the close of their mining experience. They 
were indifferent to the existence or conditions of land 
tenures. But as their hopes of gaining speedy wealth 
were not realized, and the climate and future possibili- 
ties of the State became more fully understood, they 
began seriously to consider the advisability of making 
California their permanent home. 

It was soon learned that wherever an attempt was 
made to settle upon land, the settler was regarded as 
a trespasser and was notified to leave, or take the con- 
sequences. The reckless land-grabber, regardless of 
law or equity, possessed himself of all the real estate 
from which he could drive the occupant. If a land 
speculator, claiming everything in sight, wanted a few 
men to enforce his claim all he had to do was to go 
to the headquarters of roughs, "shoulder strikers" or 
"Sydney ducks," and for a few hundred dollars he 
could hire a gang of ruffians, who with ropes would 
drag down the tenement of an unoffending settler and 
with revolvers at his head, compel him to surrender 
his claim or his life. , 

A large majority of those desiring to settle and 
make permanent homes were men of intelligence and 
enterprise, who had perhaps made moderate fortunes 
at mining. They still had property interests "back 
in the States," and some of them, ready to make an 
honest dollar, determined, when they returned East to 
dispose of their property, and bring their families, to fit 
out trains and bring back emigrants to California at 
so much per head. It is chiefly from this class of pio- 
neers that California owes much of her industrial 



152 ElyDORADO 

prosperity in commercial and agricultural lines, and 
from which her governors, senators, bankers and rail- 
road builders have come. 

At the time of which I write no obtainable evidence 
could be had either of the extent or genuineness of the 
grants claimed under Mexican authority, and men de- 
siring to make homes on what the^^ had a right to re- 
gard as public land refused to recognize individual 
claims to vast tracts until adjudicated by the lawful 
authorities. This led to serious trouble. What is 
known as the "squatter war" at Sacramento in 1850 
was the result of these conflicting interests. Dr. 
Charles Robinson, afterwards governor of Kansas, 
and one of John Brown's warmest adherents in the 
border troubles, was the leader of the settlers, and was 
severly wounded during the fight. The settlers had 
erected buildings on some vacant lots in the outskirts 
of the city where some of them were torn down by a 
gang employed by the speculators. They (the settlers) 
at once armed themselves and fortified their remain- 
ing buildings. The city was declared under martial 
law. The settlers determined to hold their ground 
against all comers. They received reinforcements and 
a conflict seemed imminent. The Sheriff, with a small 
force ,attempted to storm the place and serve a writ of 
ejectment. The Common Council had passed an or- 
der imposing a heavy fine upon any one who should 
survey land within the city limits, except the City Sur- 
veyor himself. This was regarded as a high-handed 
outrage upon individual rights and had much to do 
with bringing about the collision. During the day the 
settlers left their quarters and marched through the 
town to the number of about fifty. They were in mili- 



ELDORADO 153 

tary order and fully armed. Major Bigelow, with a 
small posse, rode up determined to disarm them. A 
conflict ensued, a volley was fired and the unarmed 
crowd scattered in all directions. The Mayor fell 
from his horse and was taken to a house on Second 
street, where his wounds were examined. He was 
shot in three places. One ball entered his right side, 
another shattered his right hand, and a third grazed 
his cheek. The Assessor, a Mr. Woodland, was 
killed by a ball passing through his body. He died in 
the street where he fell. The commander of the set- 
tlers had his horse shot under him. He charged, 
sword in hand, into the crowd, and was killed by a 
pistol shot. One other man was killed who had lately 
arrived overland. Quite a number were wounded, 
among others Dr, Robinson, who was found, after 
quiet was restored, in a house where he had been con- 
veyed by his friends. He had received a bullet wound 
in the left side, but not of a very dangerous nature. 

One of the rioters, an Irishman by the name of Caul- 
field, a most desperate character, attempted to flee from 
the city. He was pursued by the Sheriff, who laid 
hold of him, but as they were riding at breakneck 
speed, his hold slipped. Caulfield immediately at- 
tempted to discharge his rifle at the Sheriff, where- 
upon he knocked the ruffian off his horse with his 
pistol. He was then tied on his saddle, and with his hat 
gone, his arms behind him, his face covered with blood 
and dust, he was led down J street to the levee, where 
he was placed aboard the prison brig. The Sheriff at- 
tempted to arrest another member of the murderous 
gang by the name of Allen, who kept a drinking place 
two miles out beyond Sutter's Fort. The officer's 



154 ELDORADO 

party remained outside while he entered and demanded 
Allen's surrender. The latter responded by leveling a 
double-barreled shotgun and firing the whole charge 
into the Sheriff's breast, killing him instantly. Sev- 
eral shots were then fired at Allen, wounding him se- 
verely, but he made his escape. The brave young 
Sheriff was followed to his grave by the bereaved wife 
and a large number of sympathizing friends. Upon 
the side of what was claimed to be the party of "law 
and order" were Lieutenant-Governor McDougal, J. R. 
Hardenberg, Col. Kewen, Eugene P\ Gillespie and Sam 
Brannan — names familiar in the early annals of Cali- 
fornia. Identified with the settlers' interests were 
Gov. John Bigler, Judge Hastings, Senator Colby and 
John H. McKune, of the law firm of McKune & 
Crocker. Mr. McKune was subsequently District 
Judge of Sacramento county for eleven years. Dur- 
ing a heated discussion with a Southern fire-eater upon 
the question of dividing the State, making one-half 
free and the other slave, the latter became so infuri- 
ated that he thrust a sword cane through AIcKune"s 
body and for several weeks his life was despaired of. 
He was carefully nursed back to health again by his 
friends. While I was canvassing the county for the 
Legislature in 1852 he was my political asosciate. He 
was one of nature's noblemen and performed an im- 
portant part in the organization of the Republican 
party in California in 1856. Judge Crocker was a 
brother of Charles Crocker, one of the builders of the 
Southern Pacific railway. Charley Crocker had a dry 
goods store on J street, between Third and Fourth, 
where, after my marriage and settlement on the Con- 
sumnes I did mv trading. C. P. Huntington and 



ELDORADO 155 

Mark Hopkins were running a hardware store on "K" 
street, and Leland Stanford was selling mining sup- 
plies in the mountains. 

The difficulties arising from conflicting land inter- 
ests induced the government, as early as 1852 to ap- 
point a commission comprised of three members, of 
which the distinguished Governor Fitch of Michigan 
was at the head. This commission was empowered to 
examine and pass upon the JMexican land grant titles, 
subject to appeal to the United States Supreme Court 
at Washington. It met that same year at San Fran- 
cisco and entered at once upon the discharge of its 
duties. The government appointed General Volney 
E. Howard, late District Judge at Los Angeles, as 
I'nited States Land Agent. All claimants were re- 
quired to appear and present their proof of title. Such 
grants as were shown to have been confirmed b}- the 
Central Government of Mexico and the conditions ful- 
filled were passed, and where the necessary proof was 
lacking were rejected. There were many of the latter, 
all of which were added to the public domain. 

It was with the view of maintaining what they re- 
garded as their right to settle on public lands that party 
political lines were ignored and instead of Whig and 
Democrat, "settlers' and miners' associations" were or- 
ganized to oppose the grasping and remorseless land 
speculators. Sacramento county had such an orgam- 
zation, and for the two years or so of its existence I 
acted as its secretary. Among other duties devolving 
upon the secretary was that of appearing in the inter- 
ests of the association before the Land Commission in 
San Francisco, and there presenting such evidence In 
its behalf as could be obtained, to aid the land agent in 



156 ELDORADO 

defeating fraudulent claimants. Most of the mission 
grants were confirmed, but many others were rejected. 
A mournful instance of the distress caused by the re- 
morselessness of the land thieves is that of General 
Sutter. Besides three leagues at the junction of the 
"Rio de los Plumas," or P'eather river, with the Sac- 
ramento, he owned eleven leagues along the latter 
where Sacramento City was located. That is to say, 
he owned thirty-three miles of the river's length and 
a strip three miles in width. Being himself a gener- 
ous, upright, unsuspecting man, he was swindled, de- 
frauded, and otherwise robbed of all his possessions 
by sharpers and tricksters. He died poor at his home 
in Pennsylvania in 1883, after being dependent upon 
his friends and a small stipend paid him by the United 
States government. 



ELDORADO 157 



CHAPTER XVin. 



CAPTAIN SUTTER— THE GOLD DISCOVERY. 

Captain Sutter was formerly an officer in the Swiss 
guard of Charles X of France. After the revolution 
of 1830 in that country, he came to America and lived 
for a time in Missouri, emigrating to California in 
1837. Soon afterwards he obtained the two grants of 
land from Mexico to which I have referred. His little 
adobe fort was built as a defense in the event of In- 
dian troubles, but was never needed for that purpose, 
as he was a large employer of Indians, and always 
lived on the most peaceful terms with them. The fort 
was practically his home, where he lived and enter- 
tained his friends and guests. It stood alone, as it 
stands today, (well preserved), two miles from the 
city. General Bidwell, Sam Brannan and other pio- 
neer "boys'' who afterwards became millionaires and 
an honor to the State, were employed there before the 
discovery of gold. Fremont. Carson, Walker, a host 
of mountaineers and scientists, all alike found welcome 
and good cheer within those old adobe walls. It is a 
pleasant recollection that T passed this historic spot 
weekly for a number of years, going to and from Sac- 
ramento and sometimes partaking of its hospitalitv. 
I last visited it in September, 1900, at the time of the 



158 ELDORADO 

State Fair. The old fort presents a newer and more 
imposing appearance than it did in 1850. All honor to 
the "native sons and daughters of the pioneers" who 
have thus preserved it. 

It was in this little pioneer fort that the first an- 
nouncement was made, on the 19th of January, 1848, 
that sent an echo throughout the world, and drew to 
California people from every part of the globe, pro- 
ducing in so short a time scenes of unparralleled ex- 
citement. From England, Germany, France, Russia. 
vSpain, South America, and the Sandwich Islands came 
the gold hunters. In the far east, across the broad 
Pacific, the seal of national exclusiveness was broken 
and there came a peculiar people from ancient Ca- 
thay with their strange jargon, shaved crowns, and 
solitary cues behind. This was a race whose primeval 
order had never been disturbed by any other branch 
of the human family. They brought their kettles, rice, 
chop sticks, and heathen gods, and have ever since 
lived their life of exclusiveness and racial isolation. 
From Mexico came the miner, vaquero and desperado. 
Ip from Chili and Peru came the speculator, gambler, 
and courtesan. Over the Rock\- mountains came long 
lines of emigrant trains, making their tedious march 
over almost precipitous mountains crowned with 
eternal snows, and arid deserts of alkali, leaving be- 
hind them the new-made grave and the bleaching bones 
of famished beasts to tell the sad story of their weary 
journev and to mark the path for those who were to 
follow. The few vessels that could find sailors to tnkc 
them from the coast spread the news wherever thev 
touched. The inhabitants of unfrequented islands of 
the seas heard the welcome tidings of the land of gold. 



ELDORADO 159 

Captain Sutter gave the following interesting ac- 
count of how he received the news : "I was sitting 
one afternoon just after my siesta engaged in writing 
a letter to a friend in Switzerland, when I was inter- 
rupted by Mr. IMarshall bursting hurriedly into my 
room. From the unusual agitation in his manner I 
imagined that something serious had occurred, and, as 
we involuntarily do in this part of the world, I at once 
glanced to see if my rifle was in its proper place. You 
should know that the mere appareance of Mr. Mar- 
shall at that moment in the fort was cjuite enough to 
surprise me, as he had but two days before left the 
place to make some alterations in the mill for sawing 
pine planks, which he had just run up for me some 
miles higher up the Americanos. When he had re- 
covered himself a little he told me that, however great 
my surprise might be at his unexpected appearance, it 
would be much greater when I heard the intelligence 
he had come to bring me. 'Intelligence,' he added, 
'which, if properly profited by, would put both of us 
m possession of unheard of wealth — millions and mill- 
ions of dollars, in fact.' I franklv own when I heard 
this I thought something had touched Marshall's brain, 
when suddenly, all my misgivings were at an end by 
his flinging on the table a handful of scales of pure 
virgin gold. T was fairly thunderstruck, and asked 
him what all this meant, when he went on to say that 
according to my instructions, he had thrown the mill- 
wheel out of gear to let the whole body of the water 
in the dam find a passage through the tail-race which 
was previously too narrow to allow the water to run 
off in sufficient quantity, whereby the wheel was pre- 
vented from efficiently performing its work. Ry this 



i6o EIvDORADO 

alteration the narrow channel was considerably en- 
larged and a mass of sand and gravel was carried off 
by the force of the current. Early in the morning 
after this took place, he (Mr. Marshall) was walking 
along the left bank of the stream when he perceived 
something which he at first took for a piece of opal — 
a clean transparent stone very common here — glitter- 
ing on one of the spots laid bare by the sudden crumb- 
ling away of the bank. He paid no attention to this ; 
but while he was giving directions to the workmen, 
having observed several other glittering fragments, 
his curiosity was so far excited that he stooped down 
and picked one of them up. 'Do you know,' said Mr. 
Marshall to me, 'I positively debated within myself 
two or three times whether I should take the trouble 
to bend my back to pick up one of these pieces and had 
decided not to do so when, further on, another glitter- 
ing morsel caught my eye — the largest of the pieces 
now before you. I condescended to pick it up and to 
my astonishment, found that it was a thin scale of 
what appears to be pure gold.' He then gathered 
some twenty or thirty similar pieces which, on exam- 
ination, convinced him that his suppositions were 
right. His first impression was that this gold had 
been lost or been buried there by some early Indian 
tribe — perhaps some of those mysterious inhabitants 
of the West of whom we have no account, but who 
dwelt on this continent centuries ago and built those 
cities and temples, the ruins of which are scattered 
about these solitary wilds. On proceeding, however, 
to examine the neighboring soil, he discovered that it 
was more or less auriferous. This at once decided 



ELDORADO i6i 

him. He mounted his horse and rode down to me as 
fast as it would carry him, with the news. 

"At the conclusion of Mr. Marshall's account," con- 
tinued Captain Sutter, "and when I had convinced 
myself from the specimens he had brought with him 
that it was not exaggerated, I felt as much excited as 
himself. I eagerly inquired if he had shown the gold 
to the work people at the mill, and was glad to hear 
that he had not spoken to a single person about it. 
We agreed, said the Captain smiling, not to mention 
the circumstances to anyone, and arranged to set off 
early the next day for the mill. On our arrival, just 
before sundown, we poked the sand about in various 
places, and before long succeeded in collecting be- 
tween us, more than an ounce of gold mixed up with a 
good deal of sand. I stayed at Marshall's that night, 
and the next day we proceeded some little distance 
up the South Fork and found the gold existed along 
the whole course, not only in the bed of the main 
stream, where the water had subsided, but in every 
little dried up creek and ravine. Indeed I think it is 
more plentiful in these latter places, for I myself with 
nothing more than a small knife, picked out from a 
dry gorge a little way up the mountains, a solid lump 
of gold which weighed nearly an ounce and a half. 
On our return to the mill we were astonished by the 
work people coming up to us in a body and showing 
us small flakes of gold similar to those we had our- 
selves procured. Marshall tried to laugh the matter 
off with them and to persuade them that what they 
had found was only some shining mineral of trifling 
value, but one of the Indians who had worked at the 
gold mine in the neighborhood of La Paz, in Lower 



i62 ELDORADO 

California, cried out 'Oro! Oro!' We were disap- 
pointed enough at this discovery and supposed that the 
work-people had been watching our movements, al- 
thougli we thought we had taken every precaution 
against being observed by them. I heard afterwards 
that one of them, a Kentuckian, had dogged us about 
and that looking on the ground to see if he could dis- 
cover what we were in search of he had lighted on 
some flakes of gold himself. The next day I rode 
back to the fort, organized a laboring party, set the 
carpenters to work on a few necessary matters, and 
the next day accompanied them to a point of the fork 
where they encamped for the night. By the following 
morning I had a party of fifty Indians fairly at work. 
The way we first managed was to shovel the soil into 
small buckets or into some of our famous Indian 
baskets ; then wash all the light earth out, and pick 
away the stones. After this we dried the sand on 
pieces of canvas and with long reeds blew away all but 
the gold. I have now some rude machines in use and 
upwards of one hundred men employed, chiefly In- 
dians, who are well fed and who are allowed whisky 
three times a day. The report soon spread. Some 
of the gold was sent to San Francisco and crowds of 
people flocked to the diggings. Added to this a large 
emigrant party of Mormons entered California across 
the mountains just as the affair was made known. 
They halted at once and set to work on a spot some 
thirty miles from here where a few of them still re- 
main. There are fully eight hundred men at work 
altogether and probably three hundred more passing 
backwards and forwards between here and the mines. 
At first I imagined that the gold would soon be ex- 



ELDORADO 163 

hausted by such crowds of seekers, but subsequent ob- 
servations have convinced me that it will take many 
years to bring about such a result, even with ten times 
the present number of people employed. 

"What surprises me," continued the Captain, "is 
that this country should have been visited by so many 
scientific men and that not one of them should have 
ever stumbled upon the treasure ; that scores of keen- 
eyed trappers should have crossed this vallev in every 
direction, and tribes of Indians have dwelt in it for 
centuries and vet this gold should have never been 
discovered until now. T myself have passed the very 
spot above a hundred times during the last ten years, 
but was just as blind as the rest of them, so T must 
not wonder at the discovery not having been made 
earlier." 

The above, as an historical reminiscence, is interest- 
ing and instructive, as showing the small bes^inning 
from which the financial condition of the world was 
changed in such a remarkablv short space of time bv 
the unparalleled production of the precious metal. 
Soon came the first waves of the tide of emigration 
that was to flood the "placers" of the p^old ree^ion. 
The first influx consisted of Mexicans of the province 
of Sonora. Chilians and Kanakas from the vSandwich 
Islands. These principallv took possession of the 
Southern mines, on the tributaries of the San lo^nuin. 
Some few that came bv water stonned in San Fran- 
cisco and secured town lots, which became verv valu- 
able in a short time : where thev erected temporarv 
stores and dwellings. This ga^'e an imnulse to the 
proeress of that town and it advanced ranidlv in size 
and population. Then came the emigration from the 



i64 ELDORADO 

Atlantic States and the whole territory felt the pro- 
gressive and enterprising- spirit of the gold-seekers. 
The Americans generally took possession of the mines 
on the American, Yuba and Feather rivers and their 
tributaries. But as their numbers increased they 
pushed towards the Southern mines and frequent col- 
lisions with foreigners were the consequence. Fin- 
ally a great number of the latter were compelled to 
leave the country, mainly in consequence of excessive 
taxation. 

The following item appeared in the "Californian," 
published in San Francisco, August 14, 1848: ''The 
publisher of this paper, while on a tour alone to the 
mining district, collected with the aid of a shovel pick 
and tin pan, from $44 to Si 28 a day — averaging $100. 
The gross amount collected up to date will probably 
exceed v$6oo,ooo of which amount our merchants have 
received $250,000 worth for goods sold, all within the 
short space of eight weeks. The largest piece of gold 
known to be found weighed four pounds." 

On January i, 1849, the total population of Califor- 
nia was estimated at twenty-six thousand, thirteen 
thousand natives, eight thousand Americans and five 
thousand of all other nations. 

During the year 1848 ten million dollars in gold 
was extracted from the mines, principally from the 
Yuba, Feather and the American rivers and gulches 
connected therewith; the rocker, shovel, prospecting 
pan, and crevice-knife being the only machinery em- 
ployed. Over forty million dollars was obtained in 
the year 1849, ^"^ from January 19, 1848, the day of 
the discovery of gold in California, to the beginning of 
1870. the gold product of the State was one billion 



ELDORADO 165 

of dollars. The largest yield of gold ever produced in 
the State in one year was in 1853, amounting to sixty- 
five millions of dollars. The population at that time 
was about 300,000. Many thousands left for "home" 
with barely enough to pay their passage, broken in 
health, never to return, while others, more fortunate, 
went for their families to bring them to what they 
termed "God's best country." Other thousands found 
unknown graves in what to them was a strange land. 
Throughout the first three years of the mining excite- 
ment every article of trade had to be imported. Most 
people believed that California was only a mining 
country ; that nothing would grow upon the barren 
soil without constant irrigation, so that imports in 
1853 of San Francisco were over forty-five millions 
dollars, over five million dollars of which was for flour 
and meal, four million dollars for butter, and the same 
amount for lumber. In the same year fifty-seven mill- 
ion dollars in gold dust was exported. 

Up to 1849 navigation on the bay of San Francisco 
and the Sacramento river was carried on exclusively 
by small sailing craft. Before steamers arrived these 
vessels found employment in carrying passengers to 
Sacramento at twenty-five to forty dollars ; and ten to 
twelve days would be occupied in making the trip. I 
myself paid twenty-five dollars in 1854, self and wife, 
for stateroom from San Francisco to Sacramento. It 
was our wedding trip. In October, 1849, the first 
steamboat, the "Pioneer," plied the waters of the Sac- 
ramento. It was constructed of iron and shipped from. 
Boston in pieces. Next came the little steamer "Mint." 
These boats performed the trip from San Francisco to 
Sacramento in half a dav. The fare was : Cabin, 



i66 EI.DORADO 

thirty dollars ; deck twenty dollars ; a berth, five dol- 
lars; meals, two dollars. The larger steamer "Sen- 
ator," familiar to all California pioneers, soon made its 
appearance. The first steamer ever upon the waters of 
the bay of San Francisco was a small boat about the 
size of a ship's boat, taken from Sitka in 1847, t»y Cap- 
tain W. A. Leidesdorfif, and run on the bay until Feb- 
ruary, 1848, when she was lost during a severe north- 
west gale. 



ELDORADO 167 



CHAPTER XIX. 



FLOODS AND FIRES. 

California, like most new States during the early 
stages of their development, suffered losses by reason 
of imperfect organizations for protection against floods 
and fires, as well as the results of natural causes. She 
had her drouths, grass-hopper seasons, and a few 
earthquakes. Some of these came under my own ob- 
servation. Notwithstanding these temporary draw- 
backs, which occurred at long intervals, who would 
want to leave the genial climate, the cool nights, brac- 
ing atmosphere, and delightful mountain and seaside 
resorts, for a land of cultry days and nights, of bliz- 
zards, cyclones, and fearful tornadoes ? 

The winters of "49, '50, '53, are memorable for de- 
structive floods, resulting in great loss of property 
and lives, and to prevent the recurrence of such un- 
fortunate disasters, the cities bordering on the streams 
liable to inundation, such as Stockton, Marysville and 
Sacramento, especially the latter, raised their build- 
ings and filled in with earth to the height of ten or 
twelve feet, or above high water mark. The difficulty 
was greatly aggravated after the advent of hydraulic 
mining. The debris from these extensive washings 



168 ELDORADO 

raised the bed of the streams into which they flowed, 
impeding, to some extent, the navigation of the Sacra- 
mento river to its mouth at the bay of San Francisco. 
Many ranches and orchards were destroyed along the 
foothihs bordering the streams. The mming and val- 
ley interests thus conflicting, inspired considerable leg- 
islation and litigation, and the difficulties were finally 
partially set at rest by requiring the hydraulic miner to 
impound the loose earth before it could reach the 
valley. 

I was caught in Sacramento in the great overflow 
in January, '52, when all the inhabitants were com- 
pelled to seek safety in flight, or in the second story 
of their buildings. A temporary levee had been 
thrown up along the south bank of the American river, 
that gave way during the night, and when morning 
dawned the city presented a scene of desolation. Little 
Whitehall boats from the vessels moored at the landing 
were plying in all directions, engaged in relieving and 
saving persons and property. Some of the people 
were wading about, up to their waists, or arm pits. 
The water stood from four to six feet deep over the 
town with the exception of two or three acres that 
constituted the old Plaza, between I and J and Eighth 
and Ninth streets. This was occupied by women and • 
children, cows, pigs, chickens, household goods and 
the like. Everybody appeared to be in good spirits 
and treated the matter as a huge joke. The water be- 
gan to subside in about thirty-six hours, when things 
soon assumed their normal condition. While it was at 
flood tide, however, I hired a boatmen to row me three 
miles to Brighton, past Sutter's fort, where T tonk a 
conveyance to my ranch on the Consumnes. 



ELDORADO 169 

The great flood of '53 occurred during my absence 
in the States. A San Francisco paper of January i, 
1853, contained the following account of it: "The 
present winter is conceded to be the most severe ex- 
perienced in this country since it has been populated 
by Americans. During the last fortnight it has been 
raining continually in the mountains and valleys and 
we are daily in the receipt of accounts of disasters and 
suffering in all parts of the State. The waters have 
been unusually high, and communication through the 
mining regions almost entirely cut off, either by snow 
or overflowed streams. The rivers have been swelled 
to such an extent as to inundate all the low lands, 
causing immense damage, destroying stock and agri- 
cultural products. Marysville and Sacramento are 
partly inundated. Although Sacramento is well pro- 
tected by a levee, the lower portions are submerged. 
On the mountain streams the loss of mining imple- 
ments has been great and all work for the present is 
suspended. Bridges have been swept away and ferries 
destroyed and some few lives lost. The flood has been 
universal and the waters higher than in the memorable 
winter of 1849. The great scarcity of provisions and 
the consequent high prices have occasioned much suf- 
fering and distress already and it is feared thJit many 
will actually die of starvation. Many miners, subsist 
entirely upon beef and potatoes, while in other portions 
of the mines there are hundreds who have nothing at 
all but barley and potatoes. In portions of Yuba and 
Sierra counties the snow was already ten feet deep and 
still falling and the miners reduced to absolute want. 
Tn one place they held a meeting and forced a trader 
to sell what flour he had on hand at fortv-five cents a 



I70 ELDORADO 

pound and all who were able to leave did so, thus leav- 
ing the provisions for those who were unable to find 
their way through the snow to the valleys. In some 
places cabins were entirely covered with snow and 
the roofs of many have been crushed in, thus cutting 
off the last chance of protection. It is not improbable 
that some may perish by starvation. A few days since 
we were visited with a terrible southeast gale which 
prevailed for two days. Several light tenements were 
blown down and some injury done to the shipping in 
the harbor. For a day or two communication by stage 
with San Jose was cut off owing to the sudden rise in 
the intermediate streams." 

In 1852 destructive fires occurred in various parts of 
California. The greater portion of the City of Sacra- 
mento was laid in ashes by a conflagration on the 
night of November 2, 1852. The San Francisco Her- 
ald gave, at the time, the following account. "At 11 
o'clock in the evening, a fire broke out on "J" street, 
near the corner of Fourth. The inspectors were count- 
ing the votes for the Presidential electors and State 
officials, while a numerous crowd were awaiting the de- 
cision of the Judges, so that no time was lost in de- 
lay. With astonishing rapidity the fire spread from 
building to building, up, down and across the street in 
five minutes. The Crescent City Hotel, on the oppo- 
site side of the street, was in flames, and being of in- 
flammable material and of large size, sent the fiery tor- 
rent in every direction. The fire swept clean both 
sides the street until it reached Eighth. For a time 
the superhuman exertions put forth seemed to check, 
and it was hoped would entirely subdue the fire. The 
boom of the powder like artillery that was deposited 



ELDORADO 171 

in every building by the hook and ladder boys was 
deemed the signal for the arrest and staying of the 
riames on this line. In vain, however ; the wind here- 
tofore blowing towards the levee, increased to a gale 
and changed to the north, thus turning the fire broad- 
side on, and in five minutes it had spread to "M" street. 
That portion of the cit}- was built in 1849 entirely of 
wood and was as combustible as powder. At this 
time W. R. McCall & Co.'s building caught on the 
roof, sealing the fate of all to the levee, the entire 
length of the city ; the flames extended, soon wrap- 
ping the Orleans hotel. The building all around were 
blown up with the rapidity of magic, carts standing- 
ready with 25-pound kegs of powder each. The 
"Union" ofifice next fell ; the proprietors saving two 
presses, type and paper sufficient for a few days' sup- 
ply. The families on the line below K street were 
busy removing their valuables and furniture when 
the flames crossed the brick barrier and swept with re- 
morseless fury down and across, licking with its forked 
tongue from street to alley, apparently shriveling the 
wooden buildings with a single breath. The inmates of 
the hospital, seventy in number, were taken in season 
to the levee, and from thence to a suitable house by 
Drs. Briarly and Williams. The city market filled 
with hay and the hospital were the last on the line of 
the fire ; the citizens effectually stopped its further 
progress. The number of lives ascertained to be lost 
were six, while many were seriously injured and are 
under the care of physicians, on board steamers, some 
of whom may die. Every assistance possible was prof- 
fered By the captains and agents of the steamers, whose 
vessels were soon crowded with females." 



172 ELDORADO 

When I viewed the site of the city at 5 A. M., when 
the fire had nearly ceased, the smouldering embers 
were throwing up huge clouds of smoke and lurid 
flashes, bringing a feeling of desolation to the hearts of 
all who witnessed the sickening sight. The losses were 
estimated at $5,000,000. 

On the evening of the 4th of May, 1851, a great fire 
occurred in San Francisco. 

"In less than five minutes after the dreadful cry of 
fire the whole city was illumined by the lurid glare of 
the flames. The entire force of the fire department 
were promptly on the spot with their apparatus and 
put into the most efi^ective service. Fortunately for 
the lower part of the city, there was but little air stir- 
ring and a slight misty rain had fallen during the day 
and evening, which checked the tendency of the fire 
to spread towards the bay. Had it not been for this 
the mass of sparks falling upon the roofs of the frame 
buildings on the east side of Montgomery street must 
have extended it to the whole lower part of the city. 
These buildings were covered with men provided with 
wet blankets, buckets of water and everything neces- 
sary to extinguish the flames should they communicate 
to the roofs. The records of the different courts in 
the old City Hall on the east side of the Plaza were 
removed, but thrown into the utmost confusion. In 
the midst of the excitement a gentleman well known 
to the community as the former keeper of the Sacra- 
mento House, rushed to the scene of the disaster and 
shortly afterwards returned to his place of business. 
He was immediately seized with alarming symptoms 
and in a few moments breathed his last. Pronounced 
by his physicians to having been caused by congestion 



ELDORADO 173 

of the brain induced by undue exertion and excite- 
ment. The losses sustained were estimated at $7,000,- 
000." 

Other destructive fires occurred at Marysville, So- 
nora, Stockton, San Diego and in the agricultural dis- 
tricts ; an immense amount of property, being de- 
stroyed. In the cites the damage was repaired with 
astonishing rapidity, but some individuals were utterly 
ruined, the results of years of labor being swept away 
in a single night. 



174 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XX. 



FOES, FRUITS AND PROGRESS. 

The year 1855 was known as the grasshopper year. 
At times the Hght of the sun was obscured by clouds of 
"hoppers" filling the atmosphere. Their appearance 
continued for several weeks, and during the time nearly 
every green thing was eaten or destroyed by them. 
Grain fields and fruit trees in many instances were 
ruined. The course of their flight was westward and 
they finally disappeared in the ocean. One curious 
feature during their appearance was that they became 
llie food supply of the Indians. The Indians would 
dig funnel shaped holes, to the depth of two or three 
feet in the earth, when bucks, women and children 
would form extended lines, and with willow bushes 
and old sacks drive the "hoppers" into the holes. Then 
they would fill their sacks and carry them to their 
rancheries for food. They were regarded as a great 
luxury, to be eaten raw, cooked, or dried. It was a 
curious sight to watch tliem, day after day gather 
sack's full in that manner at my ranch on the Con- 
sumnes. 

It has been suggested that grasshoppers (a species 
of locust) eaten with wild honey, was what consti- 
tuted the diet of Jolm the Baptist while sojourning in 



ELDORADO 175 

the wilderness. However, what we eat is largely a mat- 
ter of taste, habit, or education. 

Sometimes, at certain seasons of the year, a green 
worm, two or three inches in length, made its appear- 
ance in great numbers. These were gathered up and 
eaten by the Diggers. It was hard to determine which 
was most appreciated, the "hoppers" or the worms. 

These Indians were very poor material for mission- 
ary work. They seemed incapable of making any 
progress towards a better or higher condition of life, 
physical or spiritual. Neither precept or example 
changed or impressed them in the least degree. If any 
advance is ever made by them towards civilization it 
will be by taking them in training schools. After fifty 
years of missionary labor in forcing with the whip, the 
stocks, and the fetters, they sank back into their orig- 
inal condition of vice, ignorance and degradation. 

For half a century or more the padres pursued a 
svstem of oppression, under the name of Christianity, 
that depopulated the country of its primitive inhabit- 
ants without leaving any testimonials of benefits con- 
ferred. The commonest needs of civilized life were 
not supplied them to mitigate the rigors of desnotism. 
Humanity lost nothinsf bv the close of the so-called pa- 
tria'-chal aee on the Pacific Coast. 

The highest intelligence, or, more properly, cunning 
displayed bv these savages, is in trving to obtain suf- 
ficient food to supply nature's demands. When acorns 
and other similar foods fail, they have a method of 
stalking deer or antelope that is very successful. An 
Indian will clothe himself in the skin, head, and horns 
of a deer, and so well imitate the form and motion of 
one of the.se animals as to deceive the most timid and 



176 ELDORADO 

cautious among them. In this disguise he would enter 
a herd and shoot the unsuspecting animals with ar- 
rows until a wounded one would put the rest to flight. 

Having no boats but such as they made from bull- 
rushes, the Indians were expert swimmers, and with 
a bunch of dried grass or rushes floating on the wa- 
ter and concealing their heads, they would float among 
the water fowl and, taking'them by the feet, would pull 
them under water, wring their necks, and tuck their 
heads under a belt worn about the waist. They would 
continue this game until they had satisfied their wants 
and return to land without disturbing the balance of 
the flock. 

Bear and bull fights, in those early days, were the 
chief amusements of the miners and other whites, and 
always transpired on Sunday, as that was the day 
usually set apart for relaxation from ordinary labor, 
whether mining or ranching. Washing garments, 
cooking or playing cards was the general order of the 
dav. During my first two years in California no op- 
portunity was presented to attend religious services of 
any kind, with one notable exception. A professed 
minister of the gospel put in an appearance at our 
mining camp near Hangtown, and after delivering a 
short discourse passed the hat and received a liberal 
contribution from the small crowd of listeners. A 
short distance a game of three card monte was being 
played behind a big pine tree and it was said that the 
preacher and the gambler were seen to meet soon aft^r 
and divide the proceeds from each little enterprise. In 
mv individual case T have never failed to treat every- 
thing of a religious nature with respect and reverence, 
and T ever felt an abhorrence of every kind of dissi- 



ELDORADO 177 

pation. Profanity, gambling, drunkenness, and kin- 
dred vices are not only disgusting but ruinous. It 
"doesn't pay." Better a healthy, vigorous old age and 
a clear conscience than the memory of scores of so- 
called "good times." 

In the cities, on Sunday, very little change was ob- 
served from all other da}S of the week, except that the 
gambling houses and places of amusement were more 
liberally patronized. While there were many drinking 
places, drunkenness was of rare occurrence. 

In the spring of 1852 a bear and bull fight was ad- 
vertised to take place at Brighton race track, three 
miles from Sacramento. T attended, paving my dollar 
for a safe seat in the pavilion, in which also were many 
lady spectators. A large cage on wheels had been 
drawn up in front of the stand, which contained the 
grizzlv, while a small strong pen held the fierce-look- 
ing Spanish bull with long, sharp horns, apparently 
capable of penetrating an oak plank. A number of 
well-mounted Spanish vaqueros had charge of the ani- 
mals. A chain had already been attached to the fore 
leg of the bear and hung out at the rear end of the 
cage. Bv means of the lassos the bull was broueht 
sufficiently near to attach the chain also to his fore 
leg. when the door was raised and Mr. Bear was in- 
troduced to his opDonent. The bull, having had his 
nose cut with a knife, so that the blood trickled into 
his mouth and nostrils, was becoming desperate and 
roared continually. The grizzly walked around his 
enemy, seeming reluctant to begin the fight. The bull 
stood for a moment with bowed head, blood in his eye 
and uttering deep moans. With a rush, such as only 
a Spanish bull can make, he plunged his sharp horns 



178 ELDORADO 

into the tough shaggy coat of the grizzly, but bounded 
back as if bruin had been a ball of rubber. After a 
few plunges and passes from the bull, and scratches 
or heavy blows from the paws of the bear, with roar 
and growl they grappled with each other, bruin dodg- 
ing the sharp points of the bull's horns, and, as he 
rolled upon his back, embracing the neck of his an- 
tagonist in his powerful arms. By a few desperate 
plunges the bull released himself from the bear's hold, 
while he bled profusely from the effect of his claws. 
This only seemed to increase his rage, and, nerved to 
desperation he, in an unguarded moment, charged up- 
on bruin, causing a wound in his side from which the 
blood flowed freely. The bear's courage now seemed 
to fail, and in an attempt to get away, he severed the 
chain by which they were bound together. In a mo- 
ment the crowd of men and boys that had formed a 
larg-e circle around the combatants scattered, giving the 
bear a free passageway to a large live oak standing at 
no great distance in the race track. He climbed the 
tree some twenty or thirty feet, and laid himself out on 
one of the large branches, whereupon one of the va- 
queros threw a lasso over his head and taking one or 
two turns around the horn of his saddle jerked him 
from his perch. Another soon had a rope around one 
of his hind legs, and when the well trained horses 
pulled in opposite directions he was made harmless and 
powerless. The two animals were chained together 
again, but the fight was soon over, the bear crawling 
as far under the building as the length of his chain 
would permit. The bull was declared the winner, but 
both were prettv severely injured. The grizzly 
weighed about looo pounds. In some instances griz- 



ELDORADO 179 

zlies have been known to weigh as much as 2000 
pounds. They are caught by the lasso and trapping. 
1 lie only serious result of the fight I have described 
was the disemboweling ' of one of the most valuable 
horses, as the rider came too near the sharp horns of 
the infuriated bull. He was led across the race track 
and shot. 

In the early days grizzlies, and other species of bear, 
elk and mountain sheep were very numerous, but they 
have now almost entirely disappeared. Many des- 
perate fights occurred between the hunters and 
wounded grizzlies. I have seen numerous instances 
where men were crippled for life from the encounters. 

The following adventure of two or three prospectors 
on their way to the mines was related by one of them : 
"About half way up the gulch a loud braying, followed 
by a fierce growl, attracted our attention and in a few 
minutes a frightened mule, closely pursued by an enor- 
mous grizzly bear, descended the hillside within forty 
\ards of where we stood leaning on our rifles. As the 
bear reached the road, Higgins, with his usual quick- 
ness and intrepidity, fired, and an unearthly yell' from 
the now infuriated- animal told the shot was with effect. 
The mule in the interval had crossed the road and was 
now scampering away towards the plains, and bruin, 
finding himself robbed of his prey, turned upon us. 
I leveled my rifle and gave him the contents with 
hearty good will, but the wounds he had received only 
served to exasperate the monster, who now made to- 
wards us with rapid strides. Deeming prudence the 
better part of valor we ran with all convenient speed 
in the direction of the camp, within a hundred yards 
of which my foot became entangled in the underbrush 



i8o ELDORADO 

and I fell headlong upon the earth. In another instant 
I should have fallen a victim to old bruin's rage, but a 
well directed ball from my companion's rifle entered 
his brain and arrested his career. The whole party 
now came to my assistance and soon dispatched Mr. 
Grizzly. Dragging him to camp we made a hearty 
supper from his fat ribs and as I had probably been 
more frightened than either of the two I claimed as an 
indemnity his skin, which protected me afterwards 
from the damp ground many a cold night. He was a 
monstrous fellow, measuring four feet in height, and 
six in length, and a stroke from his huge paw would — 
had he caught us — have entirely dissipated the golden 
dreams of Higgins and myself." 

When I came to the coast, California was a pastoral 
country in its broadest sense. Tools, and agricultural 
implements used l)y the natives were of the rudest and 
most primitive kind. A forked limb of a tree with a 
strap of iron fastened on one end of the fork was the 
only kind of a plow in use and this was drawn in a 
"criss cross'" fashion over a patch of ground (on 
which to raise peppers and "frijoles") by either one or 
two iViexican steers, with a stout stick lashed by strips 
of rawhide to the forehead in place of a yoke. Raw- 
hide material was also used to take the place of chains. 
The "carreta," a two-wheeled cart with solid wheels of 
wood, was the only vehicle used. 

The Mexican would attach his lasso to the tail of a 
dried rawdiide, and with the other e\u\ wrapped around 
the horn of his saddle, would draw his wife and chil- 
dren to the fandango, possibly a mile away. I have 
often seen the Mexicans, with a well-trained bronco. 



ELDORADO i8i 

draw a dead beef steer aloni^- the ground in the same 
manner. 

In '5i-'52 tine argicultural implements of American 
inanufacture were imported, and agricultural pursuits 
on a broad scale were inaugurated by Yankee enter- 
prise. Seed grain commanded exorbitant prices. 1 
paid fifteen cents a pound for seed barley in '52, and in 
'54 my crop was estimated at 7,000 bushels. About 
one-third of that amount only was obtained, the de- 
crease being the result of the grasshopper invasion. 

From small beginnings California rapidly advanced 
to become one of the largest grain and fruit producing 
States in the Cnion. The total wheat crop in one year 
has exceeded thirty million bushels, and a correspond- 
ing amount of other cereals, all of a superior quality. 
The California wheat and barley are produced upon 
land that is free from all obstructions, where the gang- 
plow can run uninterruptedly over hundreds of thou- 
sands of acres. The fruit industry surpasses that of 
any country in the world. The climate and soil of the 
State are so diversified that every variety of fruit pro- 
duced in the temperate and almost tropical zones may 
be found here. Over* seventeen thousand carloads of 
citrus fruit of the finest quality grown in any country 
were shipped in 1900. The jM-evious year, twenty-six 
thousand carloads of deciduous fruit were sent out of 
the State. The total horticultural and agricultural 
products shipped in the year 1898. including wines and 
brandy, was fifty-six thousand one hundred and forty- 
nine carloads. T (|uote from the re])ort of the State 
P>oard of Trade. 

Sheep have numbered nearly seven million ; the an- 
nual production of wool reaching fifty-six million five 



i82 ELDORADO 

hundred thousand dollars. The olive industry in the 
Ignited States is almost entirely confined to California, 
and has become quite an important branch of oii: lio 
liculture. The first olive trees were planted in Cali- 
fornia when the Spanish "fathers," under Junipero 
Serra, located the first mission at Old San Diego in 
1769. There were some three hundred trees planted 
at that time, and they still bear a full crop of fruit 
(-■very year. From that orchard nearly all the olive 
trees now growing in California were propagated. Un- 
fortunately but few of the old pioneers that laid the 
foundation of all these industries are now living to 
witness the magnificent results of their labor and sacri- 
fices. Their mantels, however, have fallen upon many 
noble sons and daughters, who can be depended upon 
to perpetuate the institutions and industries, and up- 
hold the honor of this imperial State, aided by the in- 
creasing population from the older States, who are of 
exceptional intelligence and enterprise. 

The largest and most productive grapevine in the 
world is in California, at Montecito, Santa Barbara 
county. In 1765 Senora Dominguez, then a little girl, 
was making a journey on horseback towards her home. 
She had in her hand, for a whip, a grapevine. After 
riding awhile she observed the vine was budding in her 
hand, and, upon her arrival at home, she planted it. It 
grew and today is fresh and vigorous, although it has 
entered its second hundredth ^ear. From this single 
sprig has grown a stem one foot and a half in diameter, 
with innumerable branches and ofT-shoots covering an 
area of one hundred and twenty feet in length, eighty 
feet in width and producing four tons of grapes an- 
nuallv. This vine and its product were for almost a 



ELDORADO 183 

centurx' the chief support and shelter of its planter. 
For one hundred years Senora Dominguez lived be- 
neath the hospitable shade of this vine, and on the 9th 
day of May, 1865, at the advanced age of one hundred 
and five years, and just one hundred years from the 
time she had planted it, surrounded by over three hun- 
dred of her offspring in children, grandchildren, great 
grandchildren, and great great grandchildren, she 
passed away, leaving her generous vine still fresh and 
vigorous. The great growth and productiveness of 
this vine is attributed by some to the fact that its roots 
are watered by an adjacent mineral spring. 

In no State in the Union can it so truthfully be said 
that every one can sit under 'his own vine and fig tree" 
and enjoy the fruit of his labor, as in California. The 
rude, early home of the farmer has been replaced by 
one of elgance, comfort and luxury. Waving fields 
of grain, thrifty orchards and vineyards, an infinite va- 
riety of flowers and clustering roses, lend a sweet 
charm to peaceful homes, where musical voices of hap- 
py children cheer and bless the declining years of the 
pioneer and his wife, and the ripening fruits, bounti- 
ful harvests and genial climate, crown with success the 
labors of the tiller of the soil. Year after year the agri- 
cultural and horticultural area of the State has widened 
and the erroneous views of the early settlers respecting 
its capabilities have gradually disappeared. 

In the early settlement of California, cattle were in- 
troduced from Spain and Mexico. They soon multi- 
plied and in great herds roamed the hills and valleys as 
wild as deer. They were used only for beef and for 
their hides and tallow, which, for many years before 
the settlement of the countrv bv Americans, formed 



1 84 ■ .EIvDORADO 

the chief exports. Whole herds were slaughtered in 
the field and the carcasses left where the animals were 
slain. These cattle resembled wild beasts more than 
domestic animals. They were of various colors, with 
large dark circles around the eyes and nostrils ; lank 
as greyhounds and fleet as deer. Their horns were im- 
mense, sometimes measuring six pr eight feet from tip 
to tip. As all the herders and vaqueros were always 
mounted, the cattle not being accustomed to seeing a 
man on foot, would, if they chanced to see one, encircle 
and attack him with great fury. A friend, crossing the 
plains east of Sacramento, on his way to the mines with 
his blankets on his back, was pursued by a band of 
Spanish cattle and only saved himself by jvimping 
down a steep bank and disappearing from sight just 
as the herd were upon him. There he had to remain 
until nightfall before continuing his jovirney. I myself, 
on one occasion, had a very narrow escape from death 
by being pierced by the sharp horns of an infuriated 
animal. 1 was wearing a red scarf (such as was uni- 
versally worn in those days), leggings, and large Span- 
ish spurs. I had alighted from the mule I was riding, 
and before I could regain my saddle, the brute was 
upon me. Fortunately my toe -caught in one of my 
spurs, and I was thrown to the ground on one side, 
when, possibly, a yard only intervened between us. 
Before the animal coud slacken his speed and return. 1 
was safe in the saddle. Then I began to feel fright- 
ened as I realized my narrow escape. 

A general "rodeo," or round-up," took place once a 
year, in order that the owner of every unmarked ani- 
mal might imprint his "brand" upon it. There were 
lew corrals in those days, so, several of the vaqueros 
Avould- encircle the band of cattle, while one of their 



ELDORADO 185 

number would mount his fleet, well-trained animal and 
make his way into the middle of the herd, hunting for 
unbranded stock. Swinging his riata, the vaquero 
would seek to lasso the chosen animal, while the herd 
would race away, bellowing, pawing and raising clouds 
of dust. When the animal was caught in the loop by 
the horns, neck, or foot, it was led to the branding 
place and the hot iron pressed deep upon the hip or 
shoulder. 

Lassoing grizzly bears was attended with some clan- 
ger, but the Mexican vaquero feared nothing when 
armed with the riata and mounted upon his sturdy and 
well-trained iiorse. Generally three or more, thus 
armed, would scour the gulches and mountain sides 
until they found their game, which soon would find 
itself snared with two or three rawhide ropes, one end 
of each fast to the saddle pommel, and the horses draw- 
ing in opposite directions. Thus, half strangled, leap- 
ing and biting at the riata, the bear was caught around 
the legs by the other riders, and either killed by the 
hunter's knife or led captive to the rancho. there 
eventually to play his part in the "bear and bull fight" 
for the delectation of the crowd. 

In the early days of California beef was sold by the 
yard ,and this custom still prevails in Lower California 
and other Spanish-American countries. The meat is 
cut into long strips and hung on trees to dry. Xo salt 
is put upon it. After it is thoroughly cured, which, in 
the pure, dry atmosphere of California, is rapidly ac- 
complished, it is coiled up like a rope and carried on 
the pommel of the saddle, upon the long journeys of 
the vaquero, for food, or to market. Such w^ere the 
customs and conditions of the country when the pion- 



i86 ELDORADO 

eers of 49-50 reached this coast. But we Hve in an age 
of progression and development. During the past fifty 
years, since CaUfornia became a State, inventions and 
new discoveries have been multiplied more than in all 
the preceding years since the beginning of the Chris- 
tian era. The lightning that Franklin attempted to 
bottle up at the end of a kite string, has been brought 
to do duty in nearly all industrial avocations among 
men. Every important item of news is now flashed 
by that subtile power to the most distant parts of the 
globe. Instead of the whale oil lamp and tallow candle 
in use fifty years ago, gas, kerosene oil, and elec- 
tricity illuminate every home, all public buildings, and 
the streets, highways and byways of every town and 
city in all civilized lands. The hand loom, spinning 
wheel, and distafif of our mothers are superseded by 
millions of spindles and the most wonderful machinery 
for manufacturing the coarsest as well as the most 
delicate fabric. From the old lumbering stage coach 
of our early days, we have the palace car, with a 
speed of sixty miles an hour, crossing the continent 
in three days, instead of five months with the pack 
mule and "prairie schooner." During the boyhood of 
us pioneers very few stoves were in use. Instead of 
the fireplace with the forestick and the back log, and 
irons, the crane and hooks, whereon our mothers hung 
the pot for puddings and bean porridge, we have today 
stoves, constructed in the highest style of art to be used 
not only with coal and wood, but also with gas, coal 
oil and electricity. In our youth there were no en- 
velopes, steel or gold pens ; the goose quill alone was 
used for writing purposes. There were no matches. 
Coals of fire sometimes had to be obtained from a near 



ELDORADO 187 

neighbor in the absence of the "steel, flint and punk," 
to build the fire each morning in the old red or log 
school house, where the desks were supported by pegs 
driven in the wall, and long benches were used for 
seats, and where the birch and ruler took the place of 
moral suasion. Since our pioneer days steamships have 
largely taken the place of sailing vessels. Our nation 
has increased in population from twenty to eighty 
millions. Two great wars have been waged and slav- 
ery abolished throughout the Union. The Remington, 
Springfield and Mauser rifles have taken the place of 
the muzzle loader with a flint lock that had to be 
primed from the powder horn, and sometimes would 
flash in the pan. Our flag, the emblem of freedom, 
floats over millions of our fellowmen in distant lands 
and islands of the sea, to lead them on and up to a 
better and nobler condition of physical and intellectual 
life. But little more than a half century ago the vast 
region between the Rocky mountains and the Pacific 
ocean, acquired by treaty from Mexico, was almost 
as little known as the heart of Africa. Hunters and 
trappers told wonderful stories of personal adven- 
tures in the mountains and in California, described as 
"a land of enchantment, where it was always spring 
and summer, the rivers choked with salmon and the 
plains swarming with game." Farnham's "Travels in 
California," published in 1844, was considered as the 
exponent of all that was then known of the interior 
of California. He said, "it was a wilderness of groves 
and lawns, broken by deep and rich ravines. Along 
the ocean is a world of vegetable beauty, on the moun- 
tain sides are the mightiest trees of the earth, on the 
heights are the eternal snows lighted by volcanic fires. 



i88 KLDORADO 

Vast herds of wild horse and elk are met with in all 
parts of it. The noble elk is hunted by the Spaniards 
for his hide and tallow. These people go out in large 
companies, with fleet horses, and lasso them as they 
do bullocks near the coast. The grizzly bear inhabits 
the mountain sides and upper vales; these are so nu- 
merous, fat and large that a common sized ship might 
be laden with oil from the hunt of a single season. The 
streams everywhere divide the country into beautiful 
glades and savannahs, which, when the leaves are fall- 
ing, and the grape hangs in the greatest profusion on 
the limbs, when the deep red flowers of autumn dot 
the grassy fields and birds sing their melancholy hymns 
to the dying year, give the finest picture that the mind 
can conceive of a beautiful wilderness. The rushing 
waters sweep along the heights bordered with ever- 
green forests, like fairy paths of olden tales, rich glories 
to behold ; beauty reposing in the lap of the giant 
mountains to whom the sounding streams give music, 
the mountain dews give jewels, and the wild flowers, 
incense — a land of the wildest enchantment. This 
land will become hereafter one of the mosKenchant- 
ing abodes of men, a sweet valley for the growth of a 
happy and enlightened population, a lovely spot where 
the farm house — that temple of the virtues — may lift 
its rude chimnev among the myrrh trees." Such were 
the prophetic utterances of Mr. Farnham a little more 
than fifty years ago, after visiting this coast, but his 
horoscope was undoubtedly cast down the vista of the 
future several centuries before anticipating its realiza- 
tion. But this golden, imperial State is today enjoying 
the full fruition of Mr. Farnham 's finely expressed 
forecast concerning the future, of the little known 



ELDORADO 189 

"wilderness,"' comprising that far distant "Land near 
the Setting Sun," known as Cahfornia. 

There is no State in the Union that lias provided 
better educational facilities, from the kindergarten to 
the university, than the State of California. The public 
school system of the State is built upon the most ad- 
vanced methods and receives generous support. Teach- 
ers must hold certificates obtainable only upon exami- 
nation or possession of university diplomas. High 
schools are provided by law and most of the teachers in 
these are college graduates. One of the functions of 
these schools is to prepare students for college courses, 
and they thus become the link connecting the common 
school with the university. There are five State Nor- 
mal Schools, which, like the common and high schools, 
are free, the Legislature having provided for their 
support. They are located at Chico, San Francisco, 
San lose, Los Angeles and San Diego. The pioneers 
of the State laid the foundation of that splendid uni- 
versity at Berkeley by giving it a large landed endow- 
ment, obtained from the national government, which 
has made it one' of the leading institutions of learning 
in the United States. The course of study embraces 
law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and veterinary 
science in what is known as Affiliated Colleges in San 
Francisco. The Mark Hopkins Institute of Art and 
the Lick Observatory on Blount Hamilton are con- 
stituent parts of the university. The great Leland 
Stanford Jr. University at Palo Alto, presided over 
bv David Starr Jordan, ranks high among the great 
educational institutions of the world. With its twenty 
niillion dollars endowment, it will no doubt realize the 
loftv aspirations of its founder and his noble wife, who 



igo ELDORADO 

is making its success her life work. One of the finest 
institutions of the State is the Throop Polytechnic In- 
stitute at Pasadena, for fitting young men and women 
for the practical duties of life. In all its appointrnents 
to efifectually carry out the noble objects of its founder, 
it is unexcelled by any similar institution in the United 
States. Located within a block from Throop Institute 
is the Pasadena Public Library, a splendid stone build- 
ing which cost about $40,000. It was l)Utlt by the 
i>eople of Pasadena; and on its shelves are 16,000 well- 
selected volumes. The City of Los Angeles, with its 
splendid universities, normal and high schools, offers 
educational facilities second to no city of hke popula- 
tion. 

The cit}' of Redlands, with a population of about 
5000, has a public library building costing $60,000, 
including the beautiful park in which it stands, and 
was presented to the city b}- A. K. Smiley, one of its 
most enterprising and philanthropic citizens. The li- 
brary contains nearly 6000 volumes. The city is noted 
for beautA' and location, the refinement of its citizens, 
and social, educational and religious advantages. 

California has given expression to the religious senti- 
ment everywhere found in the United States in the 
establishment of church organizations. Cluirch prop- 
erty is valued at about twelve million dollars, which 
compares favorably with the older states. The situa- 
tion is well stated by one of the regents of the State 
L^niversities. "Concerning the spirit of religion in 
California, there is nothing peculiar, unless we take 
into consideration the conditions of the early Ameri- 
can occupation of the country. As a broad, general 
fact, men are eoverned bv their habits more than b\- 



ELDORADO 191 

their principles. In the face of this great moral fact 
California society presents a most striking instance 
of the superiority of man's moral and religious senti- 
ment, without parallel in the history of our own or any 
other country. Far away on a lonely shore, to which 
all men of all races and tribes fled like birds of prey 
to their quarry, there has been established a state 
founded on justice, freedom and truth. The people 
of California are inclined to attach less importance 
to accurately formulated religion, and trust more to 
the great primary principles of manhood, honor, jus- 
tice and kindness according to common sense, right, 
reason and simple truth." 

The call of sufifering humanity has found a gen- 
erous response through legislative bodies, and per- 
haps no state in the Union has so many benevolent 
institutions as has California in proportion to her pop- 
ulation ; and vet taxation is not burdensome, and the 
management of these public and charitable institutions 
show an intelligence and wise economy of which the 
state may feel proud. He would not be far from the 
truth to say that nearly every adult male citizen be- 
longs to one or more secret orders, clubs or societies, 
many of which also admit women to their ranks. 
These are non-political and non-sectarian — devoted to 
fraternity and charitv. Many of them embody life 
insurance as part of their objects. Their teachings 
are chiefly based upon the Bible and traditions of sac- 
red history. There can be no doubt but that they 
exert a helpful influence upon society. 

T have briefly referred in my narrative to the de- 
votion, patience and fortitude of woman under the 
most adverse and trying circumstances on the plains 



192 ELDORADO 

and amid all the discouragements of pioneer life. 
These facts cannot be too strongly empliasized . We 
pioneers used to wonder if even the minorit\- of women 
appreciate the amount of influence they ma}- exert 
for good in the home sphere for which Heaven special- 
ly designed us as well as them. Woinan and home ! 
How naturally the two words are blended ! It is the 
true woman who makes the home, who gives it all its 
brightness and charm. How the presence of a gentle, 
refined woman changes all the rough aspects of daily 
life. Her love, her tendencies, her care, transform 
everything. Let the mother die and the home dies 
with her. It is the mother who molds the men of 
the future, and through them shapes the destiny of 
the nation. It is better to be the mother of noble men 
and women than to be Senator, President, or enjoy 
any political ofifice than woman suffrage could bestow. 
In a remote mining camp, towards the head waters 
of the Feather River, in 185 1. a man and his wife, 
from Kane county, Illinois, appeared one day and 
erected a small tent for a temporary home. The news 
quickly spread that a woman was in camp, and early 
on the following morning, as soon as their toilets 
could be made, a score of anxious and hardy miners 
assembled outside that tent and respectfully asked the 
husband the privilege of seeing his wife as thev had 
not seen a white woman for manv months. The re- 
quest was cheerfullv complied with. Sh.e pleasantly 
came out and stood upon a convenient boulder so that 
all could plainly see her. The delightful miners doffed 
their sombraroes and gave her three hearty cheers. 
One of them then called for cheers for "home, mother, 
and "the girl T left behind me." Thev were given 



ELDORADO 193 

with a will. This episode and the presence of the wo- 
man cheered and lightened their labors for many a 
day thereafter. 

Prior to the occupation of California by the Amer- 
icans, not a school existed in the whole country, ex- 
cept those maintained by the Padre for the conversion 
of the Indians. The first American school was estab- 
lished by a Mr. Marsten, at San Francisco, in 1847, 
he being the first "Yankee school-master" in Califor- 
nia. In the fall of that year the citizens of that "pue- 
blo" organized a public school and erected a small one 
story school house, which subsequently served for a 
church, where was first preached the Protestant re- 
ligion in California. The following October, Mr. and 
r\Irs. J. C. Pelton opened a private school, which in 
April, 1850, was made a public school, and Mr. Pel- 
ton and his wife were employed as the teachers at a 
monthly salary of five hundred dollars. 

The first newspaper puljlished in California was at 
Monterey, by Messrs. Colton and Semple, August, 
1864. It was called "The Californian." The first week- 
ly paper started in San Francisco was published by 
Samuel Brannan and called the "California Star." 
The "Union" was the first paper published in Sacra- 
mento, and in 1851 was edited by B. F. Washington. 
In 1847 the "Californian" was transferel from Mon- 
terey to San Francisco. 

In January, 1847, S^" Francisco had a population 
of four hundred and fifty-nine persons. On April 
15th. 1838, the first white child was born at Yerba- 
Buena (Good Herb), now San Francisco, and the city 
besran its historv. 



194 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XXI. 



LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY. 

The origin of the name "CaUfornia," has been a 
fruitful subject of discussion by writers, both of the 
past and present centuries, all of whom fail to give 
any positive data or circumstance to support the var- 
ious theories regarding it ; and as the most searching 
investigation has failed to clearly define the origin 
of the name some of the opinions regarding the sub- 
ject may be given. It is claimed that the name was 
first found in a small volume of romance published in 
Spain in 1510, entitled, "The Sergas of Esplandian, 
the Son of Amadis of Gaul." The following extracts 
from this comparatively ancient book will show how 
the name occurred. 

"Know that on the right hand of the Indies there is 
an island called California, very near the Terrestrial 
Paradise, which was peopled by black women, with- 
out any men among them, because they were accus- 
tomed to live after the manner of the Amazons. They 
were of strong and hardened bodies, of ardent courage 
and of great force. The island was the strongest in 
the world from its steep rocks and great clififs. Their 
arms were all of gold and so were the caparisons of 
the wild beasts thev rode." 



ELDORADO 195 

"In the island called California are man)- griffins on 
acconnt of the great savageness of the country and 
the immense quantity of wild game to he found there." 

As the name originated, however-^before civilized 
man had beheld the land, before Cortez had invaded 
Mexico, Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean, or Mag- 
ellan first navigated its waters, it is supposed that the 
r.ame California originated in the brain of the novelist 
mentioned above. Centuries before the discovery of 
the American continent and while the early navigators 
of Europe made slow and tedious voyages to the 
Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, the stories of the dis- 
coveries of distant lands and strange people consti- 
tuted much of the romantic and fabulous tales related 
about the "Terrestrial Paradise," and the "Land of 
Gold," their marvelous wonders and strange peoples. 
The Spanish novelist already quoted, assured his read- 
ers that the imaginary animal, the griffin — half lion 
and half eagle — which Avas supposed to watch over 
mines of gold and hidden treasure had its abode in 
California. To shoAv the absurdities of these earlv 
times and the notions of the people respecting this 
then unexplored land, the following extracts are given 
from the records of some of the earlv-explorers of the 
South Pacific, who had worked up their imaginations 
respecting the fabled Land of Gold. One writer, de- 
scribing the dangers of the seas, savs : "The crew 
and passengers consume their provisions and then die 
miserablv. Manv vessels have been lost in this wav ; 
but the people have learned to save themselves 
from this fate bv the following contrivance: thev tal-e 
bullocks' hides along with them, and whenever this 
storm rises thev sew themselves up in the hides, tak 



196 ■ EIvDORADO 

ing care to have a knife in their hand ; and being se- 
cure against the sea-water, they throw themselves into 
the ocean. Here they are soon perceived by a large 
eagle called a griffin which takes them for cattle, darts 
down and seizes them in his grip, and carries them 
upon dry land where he deposits his burden upon a hill 
or in a dale there to consume his prey. The man. 
however, now makes use of his knife to kill the bird 
and creeps forth from his hide. Many people have 
been saved by this strategem." 

Another traveler, writing of the strange lands he 
had visited in this region of the world, says : "In 
one of these islands are people of great stature like 
giants, hideous to look upon, and they have but one 
eye which is in the middle of the forehead, and they 
eat nothing but raw flesh and fish." "And in another 
isle toward the south dwell people of cursed nature 
wlio have no head, but their eyes are in their shoul- 
ders. And in another isle there are dwarfs which have 
no mouth, but instead they have a little round hole 
through which they take their food and drink by means 
of a pipe or pen or something by sucking it in. Many 
other diverse people of diverse natures there are in 
other isles and lands there about." 

That California was the land mentioned In tlie 
novelist in T510, cannot be dovibted, as it was con- 
sidered an island and placed upon the maps as sik ■■ 
until the Vicerov of Spain, in 1686 (luore than one 
hundred and fifty years after Cortez), visited the 
country and discovered and reported it to be a part 
of the main land of the continent of America. T have 
chosen from what is regarded as the most authentic 
and reliable historical accounts obtainable of the early 



EIvDORADO 197 

discoveries and explorations on the Pacific Coast. Er- 
rors may exist in the records of these pioneer adven- 
turers, but in the main they are no doubt truthful. 
Such explorers as Drake, Magellan, and Capt. Cook 
and some of the more enterprising of the Latin race, 
were men of high character, and were accompanied by 
scientific men to record all observations worthy of 
note. The first explorations of the Pacific Coast of 
North America were made by the Spaniards in the 
sixteenth century. After Hernando Cortez had com- 
pleted the conquest of Mexico, he commenced explor- 
ing the adjacent seas and countries, no doubt with the 
hope of discovering lands richer than those he had 
conquered, and which would afford new fields for 
the exercise of his daring enterprise and undaunted 
perseverance. 

He employed vessels in surveying the coast of the 
Mexican Gulf and of the Atlantic more northerly. 
Vessels were built upon the Pacific Coast for like 
purposes, two of which, as early as 1526, were sent 
to the East Indies. The first expedition of the Span- 
iards sent along the western coast of Mexico was con- 
ducted by an ofiicer under Cortez. Pie sailed from 
the mouth of the Zacutula River, in July, 1528, and 
was six months engaged in surveying the shores from 
his starting place to the mouth of the Santiago River, 
a hundred leagues farther northwest. The territory 
he visited was then called Talisco, and was inhabited 
by fierce tribes of men who had never been conquered 
by the Mexicans. When the expedition returned, Cor- 
tez was in Spain, whether he had gone to have his 
title and powers more clearly defined. He returned in 
1530 with full power to make discoveries and con- 



198 ELDORADO 

quests upon the western coast of Mexico. The coun- 
try claimed by Cortez for Spain was the southeast 
portion of the peninsula which was afterwards called 
California. An expedition commanded by Francisco 
de Ulloa was sent out by Cortez, sailing from Acapul- 
co, on the 8th of July, 1539. It reached the Bay of 
Santa Cruz after losing one of the vessels in a storm. 
From Santa Cruz, Ulloa started to survey the coast 
toward the north. Upon the examination of both 
shores of the Gulf of California he discovered the 
fact of the connection of the peninsula with the main- 
land near the thirty-secand degree of latitude. This 
gulf Ulloa named "the sea of Cortez." The following- 
October he returned to Santa Cruz and soon sailed 
again with the object of exploring the coasts farther 
west. He rounded the point now called Cape St. 
Lucas, the southern extremity of the peninsula of Low- 
er California, and sailed along the coast towards the 
north. His vessels were opposed by northwestern 
storms and he often landed and fought with the na- 
tives. In January, 1840, Ulloa reached an island near 
the coast which he named the "Isle of Cedars." There 
he remained until April, when one of his ships, bearing 
the sick, and accounts of his discoveries, was sent 
back to Mexico. Some writers assert that he contin- 
ued his voyage farther north, while others claim that 
nothing more was ever heard of LUloa after the return 
of the vessel he sent back. 

Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan friar, and a Moor, 
had been sent by the Spanish Viceroy, to make further 
discoveries in the interior, and had sent home glow- 
ing accounts of rich and delightful countries which 
they claimed to have discovered. Mendoza, who had 



ELDORADO 199 

succeeded Cortez as Viceroy, believing the accounts of 
the friars to be true, prepared an expedition for the 
conquest of the countries described. One body of 
troops was sent by land and another by water. The 
marine expedition was undertaken by two ships un- 
der the command of Fernando de Alascon, who pro- 
ceeded along the west coast of the Gulf of California 
and reached the northern limit where he discovered 
the river now called the Colorado. He ascended that 
river some eighty leagues and then returned to Mex- 
ico. The land forces were commanded by Francisco 
Vasquez de Coronado. Coronado followed the course 
described by the friar as easy, but he found it almost 
impassable. His forces made their way over moun- 
tains, deserts and rivers, until, they reached the long 
looked for seven cities of Cibola (now known to be 
the Indian pueblos of Zuni), and found a half culti- 
vated region, thinly peopled and destitute of wealth 
and civilization. The Spaniards took possession of 
the country and wanted to remain and settle there, 
but Coronado refused to acquiesce, and, naming one 
of the towns he visited "Granada," he started for the 
northwest in search of other countries. After wander- 
ing through the interior for nearly two years, reach- 
ing as far as the Missourt River, across Kansas, Cor- 
onado returned to Mexico disappointed and disheart- 
ened in 1542. 

In 1542 two vessels, under the command of Juan 
Roderiguez Cabrillo, rounded Cape St. Lucas, and pro- 
ceeded northwest along the coast as far as 38 degrees 
and finally took refuge in a harbor of one of the Santa 
Barbara islands. There Cabrillo died and the com- 



200 EtDORADO 

niand devolved upon one Ferrelo, who proceeded to 
sail north, and in Febniary reached a promontory or 
head land which he named Stormy Cape. This prom- 
ontory was the most northern portion of California 
visited by that navigator, and it is probabl}' the same 
now called Cape Mendocino. 

The Spaniards ceased to explore the northwest coast 
for some time after the return of Ferrelo to Mexico in 

1543- 

The first English navigator who visited California 
was Sir Francis Drake, in the Spring of 1579, and he 
landed on the shores of a bay, supposed to be that of 
San Francisco, the first vessel that ever passed through 
the Golden Gate. He formally took possession of the 
country in the name of Queen Elizabeth and called 
it New Albion. He left California on the 22d of July. 

1579- 

Drake sailed from England in the year 1577, with 
a fleet of small vessels to cruise against the Spaniards 
in the South Seas, as the Pacific Ocean was then called. 
His own flagship, the PELICAN— afterwards known 
as the GOLDEN HINEL — a small ship of one hun- 
dred tons, was the only one of his scjuadron that en- 
tered the Bay of San Francisco, the others having been 
abandoned, lost or turned back, unable to endure the 
storms encountered in the passage. The year follow- 
ing his departure from England found him in the vi- 
cinity of Panama, freighted with plunder taken from 
the Spanish, and anxious to find his way home with his 
treasure. He feared to return by the route he came, 
lest he should be waylaid in the Straits of Magellan 
bv his enemies, or fall a victim to the storms that had 



ELDORADO 201 

l)een so disastrous to his companions. He resolved, 
therefore, in order to "avoyde these hazards, to go 
forward to the islands of the Malucos and then hence 
to Layle, the course of the Portugals by the Cape of 
l^uena Esperance." 

"L'pon this resolution he began to think of his best 
way to the Malucos, and finding himself where he was 
now becalmed, he saw that of necessitie he must be 
forced to a Spanish course, namly to sayle somewhat 
northerly to get a winde. We, therefore, set sayle and 
sayled six hundred leagues at the least for a good 
winde and thus much we sailed from 16 of April 
till the 3 of June. The 5 day of June, being on 43 de- 
degrees towards the pole Arctic, we found the aver so 
cold that our men being greviousl\- pinched with the 
same, complained of the extremity thereof, and the 
further we went the more the cold increased upon us. 
Whereupon, we thought it best for that time to seeke 
the land, and did so, finding it not mountainous, but 
low plaine land till we came within 38 degrees towards 
the line. In which height it pleased God to send us 
into a fair and good Baye with a good wind to enter 
the same, where we found a good and convenient 
harborough." 

The harbor referred to in this ancient record, from 
which [ (|uote, was undoubtedly the l^ay of San Fran- 
cisco. 

The following quaint and interesting description of 
the country at that time illustrates the difiference be- 
tween the sixteenth century conditions and the present : 
"The next day after our coming to anchor in the 
aforesaid harborough the people of the country showed 



202 ELDORADO 

themselves — sending off a man with great expedition 
to us in a canow. Who being yet but a little from the 
shoare and a great way from our ship, spoke to us 
continually as he came rowing on After that our bus- 
inesses were all dispatched, our Generall with his gen- 
tlemen and many of his company made a journey up 
into the land to see the manner of their dwelling and 
to be better acquainted with the nature and commodi- 
ties of the country. The inland we found to be far dif- 
ferent from the shoare, a goodly country and fruitful 
so3de, stored with many blessings fit for the use of 
man ; infinite was the company of very large and fat 
deere (elk) which we saw by thousands as we sup- 
posed in a heard, besides a multitude of strange kinde 
of conies by far exceeding them in number ; their heads 
and bodies in which they resembled other conies are 
but small ; his tayle like the tayle of a rat exceedingly 
long and his feet like the paws of a want or moale; 
under his chinne on either side he hath a bagge into 
which he gathereth his meate when he hath filled his 
belly abroade that he may with it either feed his young 
or feed himself when he lists not to travail from his 
borough. The people eat their bodies and make great 
account of their skinnes, for their kings holidaies coate 
was made of them. This country our General named 
New Albion and that for two causes ; one in respect to 
the white banks and cliffs which lie towards the sea, 
the other that it might have some affinity even in 
name also with our own country which was sometimes 
so called. Not far within this harborourgh did lye cer- 
tain Islands (we called them the Hands of Saint 



ELDORADO 203 

James), having on them plentifull and great store of 
seals and birds, with one of which we fell July 24, 
whereon we found such provisions as might compet- 
ently serve our turne for a while." For much that 
refers to the visit of Sir Francis Drake to the north- 
west coast of California in 1579 and that tends to 
establish the disputed claim that San Francisco Bay, 
and not Bodega Bay or Point Re3'es as some claim, 
was the one he entered and in which he remained from 
the 17th day of June until the 23rd of July, I am in- 
debted to my pioneer friend, the late Dr. J. D. B. Still- 
man, in his "Foot-prints in California of early navi- 
gators." 

The "coney" or ground squirrel, referred to in 
Drake's narrative, is not seen in the vicinity of Point 
Reyes nor in Marin county, but is found in large num- 
bers in the warm level lands of Alameda county on the 
east side of the Bay of San Francisco. 

Sir Francis Drake returned to England b}- way of 
the Philippine Islands and the Cape of Good Hope, 
thus making a complete circuit of the globe. He wa: 
the first navigator that ever accomplished such a feat, 
returning home in the same vessel in which he com- 
menced his voyage. 

Two hundred years after Sir Francis Drake amazed 
the natives of "New Allion" with the sight of the first 
white men (whom they worshiped as gods), a group 
of white men again was seen overlooking our inland 
sea. This time it was Portala, with Franciscan monks, 
the farthest ripple of that expiring wave of Spanish 
conquest, that for centuries had been rolling along 



204 ELDORADO 

the Pacific Coast. However interesting and instructive 
the story of the founding of the CaHfornia Missions 
might be, if pursued in detail, I can only briefly re- 
fer to their establishment and the political and religious 
events that transpired on this coast during the first 
half of the nineteenth century. How prophetic is the 
following, by one of the early visitors to these shores, 
and how remarkably has it been fulfilled. "It has been 
hitherto the fate of these regions, like that of modest 
merit or humble virtue, to remain unnoticed, but pos- 
terity will do them justice; towns and cities will here- 
after flourish where all is now desert. The waters 
over which scarcely a solitary boat is seen to glide will 
reflect the flags of all nations, and a happy, prosperous 
people, receiving with thanks fulness what prodigal na- 
ture bestows for their use, will disperse her treasures 
over every part of the world." 

The first establishment of the Spaniards in Califor- 
nia was made by the Jesuits in November, 1697. The 
settlement was called Loreto, and founded on the east- 
ern side of the peninsula of Lower California, about 
two hundred miles from the Pacific. On entering 
California the Jesuits encountered the some obstacles 
which had before prevented a settlement of the coun- 
try. Th natives continued hostile and killed several 
of the priests, but within sixty years after their en- 
trance into California, they had established sixteen 
missions, extending along the eastern side of the 
peninsula from Cape San Lucas to the head of the 
Gulf. Each of these establishments consisted of a 
church, a fort, garrisoned bv a few soldiers, some 



ELDORADO 205 

stores, and dwelling houses, all under the control of 
the resident Jesuit father. None of that religious or- 
der visited the west coast except on one occasion in 
1716. All the labors of the Jesuits were l)rought to an 
end in 1767. In that year Charles ITT of Spain issued 
a decree banishing members of that order from all 
Spanish territories ; and a strong military force, un- 
der command of Don Gasper de Portala, was dis- 
patched to California, and soon put an end to the rule 
of the Jesuits by forcing them from their converts. 
The Spanish government did not abandon California, 
and the peninsula soon became a part of Mexico, and 
was provided with a civil and military government. 
The missions fell under the rule of the Dominicans 
whose treatment of the natives was less humane than 
that of the Jesuits and many of them returned to their 
former state of barbarism. The Spaniards soon 
formed establishments on the western side of the 
peninsula. 

In the spring of 1769 a number of settlers, with 
s(Miie soldiers and Franciscan friars, marched across 
Lower California towards San Diego. They reached 
the bay of that name after enduring much hardship 
and began a settlement on the shore of the bay during 
the month of May, 1769. rVn effort was made soon 
after to establish another colony at Monterey, but the 
]>arty under Portala that went in search of the place, 
l>assed further on to the bay of San Francisco, when 
they soon after returned to San Diego. The people 
left at that settlement had nearly perished for want of 
food and were greatly harassed by the Indians. A sup- 



2o6 ELDORADO 

ply having arrived from Mexico by water, Portala 
again set out for Monterey and there effected a settle- 
ment. Parties of emigrants came from Mexico during 
the year 1770 and establishments were made on the 
coast between San Diego and Monterey. Eight set- 
tlements were effected between those points ]:)revious 
to 1779. The most southern post was San Diego and 
the most northern, San Francisco. 

Various expeditions for exploring the coast above 
Cape Mendocino were made by the Spaniards. One of 
these proceeded as far north as latitude 41 degrees, 
and some men were landed on the shores of a small 
bay just north of Cape Mendocino and gave the har- 
bor the name of Port Trinidad. The small river which 
flows into the Pacific near the place where they landed 
was called Pigeon River, from the great number of 
those birds found in that neighborhood. The Indians 
were a peaceable race and were inoffensive in their 
conduct towards the Spaniards. In the same year, 
1775, Bodega, a Spanish commander, discovered a 
small bay a few miles north of the Golden Gate, which 
had not previously been described and gave it his own 
name, which it still bears. 

Few events worth relating occurred in California 
during the fifty years from the establishing of the 
Spaniards on the coast until the close of the Mexican 
war of independence with Spain. An attempt being 
made by the Russians to form a settlement on the 
shores of the Bay of Bodega in 1815. led to a remon- 
strance from the Governor of California, but it was 
disregarded and the command to quit the place was 
disobeved. The ae'cnt. Ktishof. denied the rigfht of the 



EI.DORADO 207 

Spaniards to the territory, and the Governor being- 
unable to enforce his commands, was compelled to al- 
low the Russians to remain in possession until 1840, 
Avhen they left of their own accord. Before the com- 
mencement of the struggle in Mexico for independence 
from Spain in 1822, the missions in California were, 
to some extent fostered by the Spanish government 
and supplies were occasionally sent them. But when 
war began this aid was withheld and these establish- 
ments soon began to fall into decay, and the Padres, 
deprived of their authority, returned to Spain or Mex- 
ico, or took refuge in other lands. The Indians, being 
free from restraint, soon sank to their original condi- 
tion of barbarism. 

From T769 to 1823 twenty-one missions were 
founded in Alta, California. The first was the one at 
San Diego by Father Junipero Serra, July, 1769, who 
was commissioned president of all the missions of Up- 
per California. The padres chose wisely and well the 
most beautiful and fertile spots for their establish- 
ments, and in time became possessed of immense flocks 
and herds and enjoyed most of the luxuries of civil- 
ized life. Their church property was confiscated by 
the Mexican Government in 1833, and at present no 
trace of their presence or greatness is to be seen ex- 
cept in the dilapidated and crumbling walls of their 
mission structures and the declining cross as it droops 
in melancholy .solitude over the silent city where lie 
their buried dead. 



2o8 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XXII. 



LATER HISTORY. 

Very soon after the Spanish yoke was thrown off 
and Mexican authority estabHshed in California, for- 
eign vessels began to arrive in its principal ports, es- 
pecially whalers and traders from the United States, 
to exchange manufactured goods for hides and tallow 
furnished by tliQ Mission fathers. As the region grew 
in population, shipping became more regular and mer- 
cantile houses were established at various points on the 
coast. The white portion of the population was re- 
garded with a jealous eye by the Spanish and Mexican 
settlers, especially immigrants from and citizenes of 
the United States. 

About the year 1836 trouble began between the 
Mexican authorities themselves. Affairs were very 
much disturbed, and occasionally a revolution broke 
out. Angel Ramirez, a Mexican, and a chief official in 
the government, and Juan Alvarado, second official and 
a Californian of Spanish descent, became involved in a 
bitter person controversy, and Alvarado, being or- 
dered under arrest, fled, and sought refuge with one 
Isaac Graham in the Santa Cruz mountains. Many 
vears previonslv Craham had crossed the plans and the 



14 



ELDORADO 209 

Sienrra Nevada as a hunter and trapper, and had now 
made a temporary home in the Santa Cruz range. He 
was a "Tennessee Yankee," and being of an adventur- 
ous turn, he, with Alvarado, upon hearing of his 
wrongs, concocted a scheme to overthrow Mexican au- 
thority in CaHfornia and estabhsh a free and indepen- 
dent state. In a few days Graham gathered a force of 
fifty riflemen, and Alvarado c.nd Jose Castro, with one 
hundred and fifty native Cahfornians, suppHed them- 
selves with ammunition from American vessels. They 
marched upon Monterey, the capital, and entered it by 
night, and made the governor, Nicholas Gutierrez, a 
prisoner. At first, some show of resistance was made, 
but a four-pound shot crashing through the roof of 
the presidio building, caused an immediate surrender. 
That was the only shot fired during that revolution. 
Alvarado and Castro were now in possession of the 
capital, and California was declared a free and inde- 
pendent state, with Alvarado at the head of civil, and 
Guadalupe Vallejo, of military, affairs. The governor, 
with his officers and soldiers were banished, and a re- 
publican government established. 

California eventually, again submitted to i\Iexican 
rule, and Alvarado and Castro were given important 
positions. Graham and other foreigners who had as- 
sisted in the revolution now became obnoxious to Al- 
varado, and he had them arrested and sent as prisoners 
to Monterey and Santa Barbara, and some to Mexico. 
The exiles, however, returned after a time through the 
kindness of the English and other foreign consuls in 
the ports where they were confined. 



2IO ELDORADO 

The enterprising and irrepressible American now en- 
tered upon a new role in California. Commodore 
Jones, of the United States navy, being on the coast, 
learned in some way that trouble existed between his 
government and Mexico. Inferring that this "strain- 
ing of diplomatic relations" would result in war, he 
entered the port of Monterey, hoisted the Stars and 
Stripes, and took possession of the capitol, and pro- 
claimed California a part of the American republic. 
On the following day, however, he learned that his 
acts were premature and quietly hauled down his ban- 
ners and departed. In the same year, 1842, the Mexi- 
can government appointed General Micheltorena gov- 
ernor of California, with authority to exercise all the 
power hitherto vested in Alvarado and General Vallejo. 
These two, with General Castro, entered into a con- 
spiracy to drive Micheltorena out of the country. 
Castro, with a small force, marched to San Juan, and 
captured the town and all the government ammunition 
which was stored there. The governor, fearing defeat, 
called for aid from Captain John A. Sutter, who had 
been a foreign resident of the country since 1839. 
Sutter responded, and with one hundred mounted men, 
mostly foreigners, went to the rescue. General Castro, 
at the head of the "rebel" army, met the government 
forces a short distance from Los Angeles on the 21st 
of July, 1845, where an engagement took place. It 
lasted two days, with the result that four persons were 
killed and Micheltorena surrendered unconditionally 
with all his forces, who were shipped to San Bias on 
board an American vessel. Once more California was 



ELDORADO 211 

an independent country, with Pio Pico governor and 
Castro general in chief. 

The third American expedition directed by Con- 
gress, was under John C. Fremont, who started in the 
early part of 1845, across the plans and the Rocky 
Mountains to the Pacific with instructions to find the 
best route to the mouth of the Columbia River. After 
a most hazardous journey, he arrived — with his faithful 
guide and escort, Kit Carson, and his men (six of 
whom were Delaware Indians), the whole company 
consisting of sixty-two men — within a hvmdred miles 
of Monterey, where he halted and proceded in person 
to the headquarters of General Castro, then in charge 
of the territory. His object was to obtain for himself 
and company a pass to go to the San Joaquin valley, 
where hunting and pasture were abundant. He re- 
ceived a verbal promise from the general that it would 
be all right to go where he desired, and that on his word 
of honor as a soldier he would not be molested. Three 
days after Fremont's departure, General Castro raised 
an army of three hundred native Californians, and sent 
a dispatch to Fremont, notifying him to quit the coun- 
try at once else he would march upon him and "put to 
death his whole company." This treachery did not 
surprise or frighten Fremont, who replied that he 
would leave whenever he was ready and not before. 
•He prepared for action by entrenching himself on 
what was known as "Hank's Peak," about thirty miles 
from Monterey, overlooking that city, where he raised 
ihe American flag. The whole company was well 
armed, each having a knife, a tomahawk, Iwo pis- 



212 ELDORADO 

tols, and a rifle. Castro now came dashing on with 
cavalry, infantry and artillery, but, making a few 
"brave" demonstrations of an attack, galloped off with- 
out coming within range of Fremont's bullets. Castro 
issued bullentin after bulletin stating the terrible de- 
struction he would visit on the little band, but always 
kept out of rifle range of the entrenchments on the 
"Peak." After four days of this kind of fighting, Fre- 
mont broke camp and started on his journey towards 
Oregon. As his force deliberately took up its line of 
march, Castro was no where to be seen. Among the 
officers of a British ship, which happened to be at Mon- 
terey, and who saw Fremont enter the place with his 
company, was Lieutenant Walpole, who gave his im- 
pressions of their appearance in a book he published on 
his reutrn to England, entitled "Four Years in the 
Pacific." He wrote : "Captain Fremont and his party 
arrived. They naturally excited curiosity. Here were 
true trappers, the class that produced the heroes of 
Fennimore Cooper's best works. These men had 
passed years in the wilds, living upon their own re- 
sources. They were .a curious set. A vast cloud of 
dust first appeared, and then in a long file tliis wildest, 
wild party. Fremont rode ahead, a spare, active-look- 
ing man, with such an eye ! He was dressed in a blouse 
and leggings and wore a felt hat. After him came five 
Delaware Indians, who were his body guard, and have 
been with him through all his wanderings ; they had 
charge of two luggage horses. The rest, many of them 
blacker than the Indians, rode two and two, rifle held 
l)y one hand across the pommel of the saddle. Thirty- 



EI.DORADO 213 

nine of them are regular men, and the rest picked up 
lately ; his original men are principally backwoodsmen 
from the State of Tennessee and the banks of the up- 
per waters of the Missouri. He has one or two with 
him who enjoy a high reputation on the prairies. Kit 
Carson is as well known there as the Duke is in 
Europe. The dress of these men are principally a 
long, loose coat of deer skin, tied with thongs in front ; 
trousers of the same, of their own manufacture, which, 
when wet through, they take off, scrape well inside 
with a knife, and put on as soon as dry. The saddles 
were of various fashions, though these and a large 
drove of horses and a brass field-gun, were things they 
had picked up about California. They are allowed no 
liquor ; tea and sugar only ; this no doubt has much to 
do with their good conduct; and the discipline too is 
very strict. They were marched up to an open space on 
the hills near' the town, under some large trees, and 
there took up their quarters in messes of six or seven in 
the open air. The Indians lay beside their leader. One 
man, a doctor, six feet six inches high, was an odd- 
looking fellow. May I never come under his hands." 
Fremont proceeded to Oregon and had reached 
Klamath Lake, when he was overtaken by Lieutenant 
Gillispie of the United States army, who had left 
Washington the previous Xovember, crossing the 
country from Vera Cruz to Mazatlan. Arriving at 
Monterey in a U. S. slooj) of war he had started up 
the country to find the explorers. He had letters for 
Fremont from the Secretary of State, which, when de- 
livered to Fremont, led him to retrace his steps to the 



214 ELDORADO 

valley of the Sacramento. On the very night after re- 
ceiving his dispatches, and while all were asleep, the 
Indians broke into his camp and assassinated several 
of his men, and might have slain the whole company 
had it not been for the vigilance of Carson, who sound- 
ed the alarm. The details of this unfortunate affair I 
have already mentioned in my narrative. Fremont en- 
camped on his return near the mouth of Feather river, 
where the settlers soon flocked around him. General 
Castro was reported to be on the march to attack him. 
A company of twelve volunteers started for the Mexi- 
can fort at Sonoma, and on the 15th of June, 1846, en- 
tered and captured the post, where they found two 
hundred and fifty stands of arms and nine cannons. 
Here they captured General Vallejo and took him a 
prisoner to Sutter's fort at Sacramento. 

William B. Ide, a New England man, was left to 
garrison the fort at Sonoma, with a force of eighteen 
men. General Castro issued a proclamation calling up- 
on his countrymen to rise and drive the "marauders" 
from the soil. On the i8th of June, Ide issued his 
proclamation to the people of Sonoma to defend them- 
selves and assist in establishing a republican govern- 
ment. He announced himself as "commander and 
chief" of the troops at the fortress of Sonoma, and 
gave his inviolable pledge to all persons in California 
not found under arms that "that they should not be 
disturbed in their persons, their property or social re- 
lations one with another by men under his command." 
His army consisted of eighteen men. Further on in his 
"proclamation" he says: "We have been pressed by 



ELDORADO 215 

military despotism and threatened with extermination 
if we did not depart out of the country, leaving all our 
property, arms, and beasts of burden, thereby deprived 
of means of flight or defense, to be driven through 
deserts inhabited by hostile Indians to certain destruc- 
tion * * * I also solemnly declare my object to be 
to invite all peaceful and good citizens of California 
who are friendly to the maintenance of good order and 
equal rights, and I do hereby invite them to repair to 
my camp at Sonoma without delay to assist in estab- 
lishing and perpetuating a republican government 
which shall secure to all civil and religious liberty," 
(under Mexican rule the exercise of no religion was 
permitted except the Roman Catholic), "which shall 
encourage virtue and literature, and shall leave un- 
shackled by fetters, agriculture, commerce and manu- 
factures. I further declare that I rely upon the rec- 
titude of our intentions, the favor of Heaven, and the 
bravery of those who are bound and associated with 
me by the principles of self-preservation, by the love 
of truth and the hatred of tyranny, for my hopes of 
success. I furthermore declare that I believe that a 
government to be prosperous and happy, must origi- 
nate with the people who are friendly to its existence ; 
that the citizens are its guardians, the officers its ser- 
vants, its glory its reward." This proclamation was 
dated and signed, June 18, 1846, William B. Ide. 

A flag was improvised by painting in a rude form 
the figure of a grizzly bear on a piece of white cotton 
cloth. It followed Ide's proclamation and was the first 
flag after California was declared independent of Mex- 



2i6 EI<DORADO 

ico. It is still in the possession of the "Pioneer So- 
ciety" of California at San Francisco. 

Fremont was at Sutter's fort during these eventful 
operations, but, hearing that Castro intended to make 
a raid upon Ide at Sonoma, he reached there on the 
.3rd of June, at the head of ninety riflemen. He met 
a few retreating- Mexicans, who escaped and made 
their way across the bay to "Yerba Buena" (now San 
Francisco). General Castro did not appear. On July 
4, 1946, Fremont called a meeting of Americans. He 
was appointed governor, issued a proclamation of inde- 
pendence, and at the head of one hundred and sixty 
men, started for Sutter's Fort, intending to attack 
Castro, who was reported to be at Santa Clara. He 
soon learned, however, that the Mexican general was 
on the retreat to Los Angeles, where he determined to 
follow him. He at once gave the order to his forces 
to march. Before they had proceeded far, however, 
news reached him that Commodore Sloat had arrived 
at Monterey, with the frigate Savannah and another 
small vessel, which induced Fremont to delay his pur- 
suit of Catro. 

While at Mazatlan, on the west coast of Mexico, the 
Commodore had learned of the annexation of Texas, 
and that war existed between Mexico and the United 
State. He was also informed that General Taylor was 
marching toward the City of Mexico. Instructions had 
been sent by the President of the United States to 
Commodore Sloat, to take possession of Mazatlan, 
Monterey and San Francisco, and to declare the coun- 
try the property of the United States, but they had 



ELDORADO 217 

not yet reached him. Admiral Seymour, of the British 
navy, was also at Mazatlan with a battleship. He had 
received dispatches from the City of Mexico, and it 
was evident that the Mexican officials favored the oc- 
cupation of California by the British rather than by 
the Americans, their enemies, with whom they were at 
war. Immediately on receipt of these dispatches the 
British Admiral hoisted sail upon his ship and moved 
seaward, bound for Monterey. Commodore Sloat, who 
was watching his movements, half an hour later left 
with his two small vessels, the Savannah and Preble, 
and also headed directly for the same port, determined 
to take possession before the arrival of Admiral Sey- 
mour. The Savannah being the fastest, reached Mon- 
terey first, and there Sloa"t learned of the determined 
efforts of British and Mexican authorities to place 
California under the protection of the English govern- 
ment. Governor Pico and General Castro were both 
in favor of this scheme. The American consul, 
Thomas O. Larkin, informed Sloat upon his arrival 
of this state of affairs, when he at once determined to 
send two hundred and fifty marines on shore and to 
hoist the American flag over the town of Monterey. 
A salute of twenty-one guns was fired, and a proclama- 
tion issued that California henceforth was part of the 
United States. The slow ship of the British admiral 
only arrived to see the Stars and Stripes floating over 
Monterey as a part of the great Republic of America. 
He saw he was outwitted by Sloat, outrun by the Sa- 
vannah, and the gallantry of the American commodore 
had placed California beyond British rule. 



2i8 ELDORADO 

The following day, July 8th, a party from the United 
States sloop-of-war Portsmouth, landed at Yerba 
Buena, now San Francisco, and hoisted ihe American 
flag on the Plaza. On the loth. Commodore Mont- 
gomery of the Portsmouth sent an American flag to 
Sonoma, and the "Bear flag," improvised by Ide and 
his men, was hauled down, and the Stars and Stripes 
■'floated in the breeze" instead, and the change was wel- 
comed by all. 

Meantime General Stephen W. Kearney had arrived 
at Monterey, crossing overland by way of New Mexi- 
co. He had orders to take possession of and estab- 
lish a government for California, but he found that 
Sloat, Stockton and Fremont had already accomplished 
those things. Colonel J. D. Stevenson, at the head of 
one thousand volunteers, arrived in California March 
J, 1847. The conquest had already taken place, but 
this force was of great service in maintaining order 
in the country. Before Fremont hoisted the Stars and 
Stripes, and before the Mexican authorities knew of 
his coming, an informal meeting was held at Monterey, 
at the house of Don Jose Catro, which developed the 
fact that a majority of the people were ready for any 
form of government that would afford them protection 
from imcertainty and unceasing political troubles and 
revolutions. The following extracts are taken from 
speeches made by some of the leading native Califor- 
nians at that meeting : "Excellent sirs ! ot what a de- 
plorable condition is our country reduced ! Mexico, 
professing to be our mother and our protectress, has 
given us neither arms nor money, nor the materials of 



ELDORADO 219 

war for our defense. She is not likely to do anything 
in our behalf, although she is quite willing to afflict 
us with her extortionate minions, who come hither, 
in the guise of soldiers and civil officers, to harrass 
and oppress our people. We possess a glorious coun- 
try, capable of attaining a physical and moral greatness 
corresponding with the gradeur and beauty which an 
Almighty hand has stamped upon the face of our be- 
loved California. But although nature has been prodi- 
gal, it cannot be denied that we are not in a position 
to avail ourselves of her bounty. Our population is 
not large and it is sparsely scattered over valley and 
mountain, covering an immense area of virgin soil 
destitute of roads and traveresed with difficulty ; hence 
it is hardly possible to collect an army of any consid- 
erable force. Our people are poor as well as few, and 
cannot govern themselves and maintain a decent show 
of sovereign power. Although we live in the midst of 
plenty, we lay up nothing, but, tilling the earth in an 
imperfect manner, all our time is required to procure 
subsistence for ourselves and families. Thus circum- 
stanced we find ourselves threatened by hordes of 
Yankee immigrants, who have already begun to flock 
into our country and whose progress we cannot ar- 
rest. Already have the wagons of that perfidious peo- 
ple scaled the almost inaccessible summit of the Sierra 
Nevada, crossed the entire continent, and penetrated 
the fruitful valley of the Sacramento. What that as- 
tonishing people will next undertake I cannot say, but, 
in whatever enterprise they embark they will be sure 
to prove successful. Already are these adventurous 



2i6 ELDORADO 

land-voyagers sprealing themselves far and wide over 
a country which seems suited to their taste. They are 
cultivating farms, establishing vineyards, erecting 
mills, sawing lumber, building workshops, and doing 
a thousand other things which seem natural to them, 
but which Californians neglect or despise. What then 
are we to do? Shall we remain supine while these 
daring strangers are overrunning our fertile plains and 
gradually outnumbering and displacing us? Shall 
these things go on until all shall become strangers in 
our own land? Perhaps what I am about to suggest 
may seen to some faint hearted and dishonorable. But 
to me it does not appear so. It is our duty voluntarily 
to connect ourselves with a power able and willing to 
preserve us. I see no dishonor in this last refuge of 
the oppressed and powerless, and I bodly avow that 
such is the step I would have California take. There 
are two great powers in Europe which seem destined 
to divide between them the unappropriated countries 
of the world. They have large fleets and armies 
practiced in the art of war. Is it not better that 
one of them should be invited to send a fleet and an 
army to protect California, rather than we should fall 
an cask prey to the lawless adventurers who are 
overrunning our beautiful country. I pronounce for 
annexation to France or England." To this speech 
General Vallejo replied as follows : "I cannot, gentle- 
men, coincide in opinion with the military and civil 
functionaries who have advocated the cession of our 
country to France or England. It is most true that 
to rely any longer upon Mexico to govern and de- 



ELDORADO 221 

fend us would be idle and absurd. To this extent I 
fully agree with my distinguished colleagues. It is true 
that we possess a noble country, every way calculated 
from position and resources to becoming great and 
powerful. For that ver\' reason, I would not have 
her a mere dependence upon a foreign monarchy nat- 
urally alien, or at least indififerent to our interests and 
our welfare. Even could we tolerate the idea of 
dependence ought we to go to distant Europe for a 
master? What possible sympathy could exist between 
us and a nation separated from us by two vast oceans ? 
But waiving this insuperable objection, how could we 
endure to come under the dominion of a monarch? 
We are Republicans. Badly governed and badly situ- 
ated as we are, still we are all in sentiment Republi- 
cans. So far as we are governed at all we at least pro- 
fess to be self -governed. Who, then, that possesses 
true patriotism will consent to subject himself and 
children to the caprices of a foreign king and his of- 
ficial minions? Our position is so remote either by 
land or sea that we are in no danger from a Mexican 
invasion. Why. then, should we hesitate still to as- 
sert our independence? We have indeed taken the 
first step by electing our own Governor, but another 
remains to be taken. I will mention it plainly and 
distinctly : it is annexation to the United States. In 
contemplating this consummation of our destiny. T feel 
nothing but pleasure and I ask you to share it. Dis- 
card old prejudice, disregard old customs, and pre- 
I)are for the glorious change which awaits our country. 
Why. should be shrink from incorporating ourselves 
with the happiest and freest nation in the world des- 



222 ELDORADO 

tined soon to be the most wealthy and powerful ? Why 
should we go abroad for protection when this great 
nation is our adjoining neighbor? When we join our 
fortune to hers we shall not become subjects, but fel- 
low-citizens, possessing all the rights of the people 
of the United States and choosing our own federal and 
local rulers. We shall have a stable government and 
just laws. California will grow strong and flourish 
and her people will be prosperous, happy and free. 
Look not, therefore, with jealousy upon the hardy 
pioneers, who scale our mountains and cultivate our 
unoccupied plains ; but rather welcome them as broth- 
ers who come to share with us a common destiny." 

From that time General Vallejo and his friends ac- 
tively engaged in promoting sentiments in favor of 
the annexation of California to the United States. Out 
of gratitude for these services his name is perpetuated 
in the town of Vallejo, across the bay, which was for 
a short time the capital of the state ; it being removed 
to Sacramento in 185 1. General Vallejo ever re- 
mained a loyal, honored and influential citizen. 

About August 1st, 1847, Fremont, at the head of 
one hundred and sixty men, embarked on board a 
sloop-of-war for San Diego, to quell a strongly organ- 
ized opposition to American occupation of the coun- 
try, headed by General Castro, Governor Pico and 
Don Jose Flores. The final defeat and overthrow 
of this combination (in January, 1847), whose forces 
extended over a very large extent of country when 
he had but four hundred men, reflects the highest 
credit upon the bravery, skill and fidelity of General 
Fremont, Commodore Stockton and their officers and 



ELDORADO 223 

men. Floras fled to Mexico; Castro and Pico sur- 
rendered to Fremont, and akcnowledged the supreme 
authority of the Americans ; and, on the other hand, 
the Americans promised protection of Hfe and prop- 
erty to all Californians and Mexicans of every class 
and condition regardless of former acts of hostility. 
The American conquest was complete and the war in 
California at an end. Fremont awed and terrified 
the Californians and Indians by the boldness and ce- 
lerity of his movements and he won their respect and 
devotion by the moderation and kindness of his pol- 
icy and the good conduct of his men. 

In a dispatch from General Kearney to tiie War De- 
partment at Washington, dated "Ciudad de los An- 
geles, January 14th, 1847," 'i^ says: "This morning 
Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, with mounted riflemen, 
and volunteers from Sacramento, reached here, the 
enemy having capitulated to him near San Fernando, 
agreeing to lay down their arms, and we have now 
the prospect of having peace and quietness in this 
country which I hope may not be interrupted again." 

Fremont held the position of military governor of 
California a short time and was succeeded' by Gen- 
eral Kearney, and, subsequently, by Colonel Mason, 
who continued in ofiice until the 15th day of April. 
1849, when he was succeeded by General Bennet Riley, 
imder whose administration afifairs were conducted un- 
til California was admitted as a state into the l^nion 
on the 9th of September, 1850. 

The treaty between the United States and Mexico 
was dated at the City of Guadalupe, February 2d. 
1848; exchanged at Queretaro, May 30th, 1848; rati- 



224 ELDORADO 

fied by the United States the following March and 
officially proclaimed by the President, July 4th, 1848; 
and thus the title to California and New Mexico was 
complete. California was received into the sisterhood 
of states without having had a territorial existence, 
contrary to all former precedents. 

She had, as if by magic, become a state of great 
wealth and power. One short year had given her a 
commercial importance, but little inferior to that of 
the most powerful of the old states. According to the 
recommendation of General Riley, an election of dele- 
gates to form a Constitutional Convention was held 
on the first of August, 1849. "^^^^ number of dele- 
gates to be elected was thirty-seven. The Convention 
met on September 4th, at Monterey. The proportion 
of native Californian members to the American was 
about equal to that of the population. Among the 
members was Captain John A. Sutter, the pioneer set- 
tler of California, General Vallejo, and Antonio Pico, 
who had both been distingutshed men before the con- 
quest. The whole body commanded respect as being 
dignified and intellectual. The Declaration of Rights 
was the first measure adopted by the Convention. The 
clause prohibiting the existence of slaverv was the 
unanimous sentiment of the Convention. The discus- 
sion upon the adoption of the Great Seal of the state 
was somewhat amusing. A number of designs were 
offered, the members from different districts were all 
anxious to have their particular localities represented. 
The choice finallv fell upon one offered bv Major Gar- 
nett. The principal figure is Minerva, with snear and 
shield, emblematic of the manner in which California 



ELDORADO 225 

was born, full grown into the federacy. At her feet 
crouches the grizzly bear. Before him is a wheat-sheaf 
and vine, illustrating the agricultural products of the 
country. Near them is the miner, with his imple- 
ments. In the distance is the Bay of San Francisco 
and beyond that the Sierra Nevada, over which ap- 
pears the word "Eureka." 

The noted traveler and author. Bayard Taylor, was 
present at the Convention and thus describes the clos- 
ing scene. In his graphic manner, he says : "The 
members met this morning at the usual hour to per- 
form the last duty that remained to them — that of 
signing the Constitution. They were all in the hap- 
piest humor and the morning was so bright and balmy 
that no one seemed disposed to call an organization. 
Mr.- Semple, the chairman, was sick and it was moved 
that Captain Sutter be appointed in his place. The 
chair was taken by the old pioneer, and the members 
took their seats around the sides of the hall, which 
still retained the prize-trees and banners, left from 
last night's decorations. The windows and doors were 
open and a delightful breeze came in from the bay, 
whose blue waters sparkled in the distance. The 
view from the balcony in front was bright and inspir- 
ing. The town below — the shipping in the harbor — 
the pine-colored hills behind — were mellowed by the 
blue October haze, but there was no cloud in the sky 
and I could plainly see, on the northern horizon the 
mountains of Santa Cruz and the Sierra de Gavilan. 
"After the minutes had been read the committee 
appointed to draw up an address to the people of Cal- 
,j ifornia was called upon to report and was read by the 



226 ELDORADO 

chairman. It was adopted without a dissenting voice. 
A resolution was then offered to pay Lieutenant Ham- 
ilton, who was engaged in engrossing the Constitu- 
tion upon parchment, the sum of $500, for his labors. 
This magnificent price, probably the highest ever paid 
for a similar service, is on a par with all things else 
in California. The sheet for the signers' names was 
ready and the Convention decided to adjourn for half 
an hour, and then meet for the purpose of signing. 

"I amused myself during the interval by walking 
about the town. Everybody knew that the Conven- 
tion was about closing and it was generally under- 
stood that Captain Burton had loaded the guns at 
the fort and would fire a salute of thirty-one guns at 
the proper moment, he citizens, therefore, as well as 
the members, were in an excited mood. Monterey 
never before looked so bright, so happy, so full of 
pleasant expectation. About one o'clock the Conven- 
tion met again ; few of the members, indeed, had left 
the hall. Mr. Semple, the chairman, called them to 
order, and after having voted General Riley a salary 
of $10,000 and Mr. Halleck, Secretarv of State, $6000 
a year, thev proceeded to affix their names to the 
completed Constitution. At this moment a signal was 
given, the American colors ran up the flag-staff in 
front of the government buildings, and streamed out 
on the air. A second afterwards the first gun boomed 
from the fort and its stirring echoes came back from 
one hill after another till they were lost in the dis- 
tance. All the native enthusiasm of Captain Sutter's 
blood was aroused ; he was the old soldier again. He 
sprang from his seat and, waiving his hand around his 



ELDORADO 227 

head as if swinging a sword, exclaimed : 'Gentlemen, 
this is the happiest day in my life. It makes me glad 
to hear those cannon ; they remind me of the time 
when I was a soldier. Yes, I am glad to hear them 
this is a great day for California!' Then recollecting 
himself he sat down, the tears streaming from his 
eyes. The members with one accord gave three tu- 
multuous cheers which were heard from one end of 
the town to the other. As the signing went on gun 
followed gun from the fort, the echoes reverberating 
grandly around the bay till finally as the loud ring of 
the Thirty-first was heard, there was a shout: 'That's 
for California!' and every one joined in giving three 
times three for the new star added to our Confedera- 
tion.' " * * * "There was one handsome act 
T must not omit to mention. The Captain of the Eng- 
lish bark. 'Volunteer,' of Svdney. Australia, lying in 
the harbor sent on shore in the morning for an Amer- 
ican flag. When the first gun was heard a line of 
colors ran fluttering up to the spars, the Stars and 
Stripes flving triumphantly from the main-top. The 
compliment was the more marked as some of the 
American vessels neglected to give anv token of rec- 
ognition to the events of the dav." "The Constitu- 
tion having been sig^ned and the Convention dissolved, 
the members nroceeded in a bodv to the house of Gen- 
eral Rilev. The visit was evidentlv unexpected bv the 
old veteran. When he made his apoearaiice, Caotain 
Sutter stepped forward, and having shaken him bv the 
hand, drew himself into an erect attitude, raised one 
hand to his breast as if he was making a report to his 



228 ElyDORADO 

commanding officer on the field of battle and addressed 
him as follows : 

GENERAL: I have been appointed by the dele- 
gates elected by the people of California to form a 
Constitution, to address you in their names and in be- 
half of the whole people of California, and express 
the thanks of the Convention for the aid and co-opera- 
tion they have received from you in the discharge of 
the responsible duty of creating a state government. 
And, sir, the Convention as wou will perceive from 
the official records, duly appreciates the great and 
important services you have rendered to our common 
country and especially to the people of California, and 
entertains the confident belief that you will receive 
from the whole people of the United States, when 
you retire from your official duties here, that verdict 
so grateful to the heart of the patriot: 'well done 
thou good and faithful servant !' 

"General Riley was visibly affected by this mark of 
respect, no less appropriate than well deserved on his 
part. The tears in his eyes and the plain blunt sin- 
cerity of his voice and manner went to the heart of 
every one present. 'Gentlemen,' he said, 'I never 
made a speech in my life. I am a soldier — but I can 
feel ; and T do feel deeply the honor you have this day 
conferred upon me. Gentlemen, this is a prouder day 
to me than that on which mv soldiers cheered me on 
the field of Contreras. T thank you all from mv heart. 
T have no fear for California while the peoole have 
chosen their representatives so wiselv. Gentlemen, I 
congratulate you upon the successful conclusion of 
your arduous labors, and T wish you all happiness 



ELDORADO 229 

and prosperity.'. After three hearty cheers by the 
members for the gallant soldier, worthy of his coun- 
try's glory, he concluded in the following words: "I 
have but one thing to add, gentlemen, and that is, that 
my success in the affairs of California is mainly ow- 
ing the efficient aid rendered me by Captain Hallock, 
'(afterwords during the civil war commander of the 
western division of the army)' the Secretary of State. 
He has stood by me in all emergencies. To him I 
have always appealed when at a loss myself, and he 
has never failed me.' 

"This recognition of Captain Hallock's talents and 
the signal service he has rendered to the authorities 
since the conquest was pecularly just and appropriate. 
It was so felt by the members and they responded by 
giving three enthusiastic cheers for the Secretary of 
State." They then took their leave, many of them 
being anxious to start for their various places of resi- 
dence. All were in a happy and satisfied mood and 
none less so than the native members. Pedrorena de- 
clared that this was the most fortunate day in the his- 
tory of California. Even Carillo, in the beginning, 
one of the most zealous opponents, displayed a genu- 
ine zeal for the Constitution which he helped to frame 
under the laws of our republic. 

The elections for the various officers under the new 
Constitution took place on the 13th of November, 1849. 
Peter H. Burnett was chosen Governor, and John Mc- 
Dougall, Lieutenant-Governor. George W. Wright 
and Edward Gilbert were chosen as representatives to 
Congress. The first State Legislature met at the Cap- 
ital, the pueblo de San Jose, on the 15th of December, 



230 ELDORADO 

and elected John C. Fremont and William M. Gwin, 
Senators to Congress. Every branch of the civil gov- 
ernment went at once into operation, and admission 
into the Union as a state was all that was necessary 
to complete the settlement of affairs in California. In 
October, 1851, the state elections were held. John 
Bigler was elected Governor by thirteen hundred ma- 
jority over Mr. Reading. On the 2d of November, 
1852, the presidential election was held throughout 
the United States. The Democrats carried California 
for the electral ticket pledged to vote for Franklin 
Pierce, of New Hampshire, for President, and William 
R. King of Alabama for Vive-President. It also went 
Democratic in 1856, for James Buchanan of Pennsyl- 
vania. 



ELDORADO 231 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



THE STATE. 

From that period the history, growth and develop- 
ment of Cahfornia does not properly belong to pion- 
eer days. 

The comparative size of California, however, is not 
generally understood or realized even by a very large 
number of its own citizens. It has a coast line of 
about one thousand miles, with an average width of 
over two hundred miles, and contains an area of 188,- 
921 square miles or 120,947,840 acres. The combined 
area of the six New England states is but 68,348 
square miles, showing that California has an area al- 
most three times as great as this division of that re- 
public. The area of the six middle states — New York, 
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and 
West Virginia — is 137,464 square miles, showing that 
"the area of California is 51,517 square miles larger 
than all that section. 

The combined area of the twelve states forming the 
New England and Middle States is 205,812 square 
miles, showing that California contains an area almost 
as great as these twelve states. It is 78,135 square 



232 ELDORADO 

miles larger than the whole of Great Britain. It would 
make twenty-four states the size of Massachusetts, 
leaving 2781 square miles ; and the area of California 
would make one hundred and forty-five states, as large 
as the state of Rhode Island. The combined area of 
Great Britain, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Brunswick 
and Switzerland is 188,330 square miles, and has a 
population of amout five millions. California is capable 
of surpassing the density of population of any country 
in Europe. It could sustain a population equal to the 
present number of people in the entire Union. 

The natural resources, great mineral and agricul- 
tural wealth of California, with her numerous bays 
and harbors facing the Pacific Ocean, the direct and 
easy steam communication with Asia and the Islands 
of the Pacific, render her geographically one of the 
most favorably located states of the Union. 

The loftiest mountains in the United States are 
found in California, Mount Whitney, the highest in 
the Sierra Nevada range, standing fifteen thousand 
feet above the sea level. Mount Shasta lifts its hoary 
head 14,440 feet into the clouds. The most gigantic 
vegetable growth in the world is found within our bor- 
ders. "Here stands the solemn sentinels of the forest, 
the mighty trees of Mariposa, Calaveras and Tulare, 
the wonder and admiration of all who behold them. 

Here, too, may be seen the famed valley and falls of 
the Yosemite where a mighty sheet of water dashes a 
distance of two thousand six hundred feet into the 
valley below. High in the ridges of the Sierra, nest- 
ling betwixt the precipitous and frowning walls of 
dark and relentless granite, nature elevates her mighty 




YOSRMITE VALLEY. CALIFORNIA 



EI.DORADO 233 

urns, which, Hke inland seas, inspire and impress man 
with the majesty of creation, as he floats upon their 
])lacid waters or vainly attempts to sound their almost 
fathomless depths. 

"Lake Tahoe, fourth in size of mountain lakes, is 
the queen of the Sierras, whose frowning granite walls 
upon the one side and rich foliage upon the other, have 
hcen the theme of romantic poets and enthusiastic 
tourists. It is situated high in the Sierras, one-half 
heing upon each side of the boundary line between 
California and Nevada. Tt is twenty-one miles in 
length by twelve in width, and 6220 feet above sea 
level, nestled up among the tall pines, ferns and oaks, 
over-topped by the towering pinnacles and snow- 
capped peaks of the mountain range which reflect their 
lengthened shadows upon its placid bosom as the set- 
ting sun gilds in golden hues the rich, wild, but pictur- 
esque and beautiful scenery around. The soul catches 
that sweet inspiration which calmly draws us into 
communion with the harmony of nature and a contem- 
plation of a better land as we stand upon the silvery 
shores of Lake Tahoe, w-hile amidst a stillness sub- 
lime and awful the rays of the morning sun, like rib- 
bons of gold dart through the dense forest, streaking 
with amber and golden sheen the dark blue waters 
through whose transparent depths the landscape is 
mirrored l)el()w, God's fountain in the wilderness to 
beautify his footstool and invigorate all his creatures 
that partake of its crystal waters." 

The colors and transparency of this beautiful sheet 
of water are two of its principal attractions. The 
water which is a pea-green, gradually deepens, leav- 



234 ELDORADO 

ing the bottom of the lake at eighty feet clearly visible ; 
at one-half mile from shore the color changes to a 
deeper green, about a mile from shore it suddenly 
changes to an almost indigo-blue ; the lines of these 
three shades or colors are as distinctly drawn as if 
painted. For many years it was supposed that this 
lake was bottomless, but later soundings, established 
its greatest depth to be about fifteen hundred feet. It 
was first named Lake "Bigler," but in 1859 William 
PL Knight, who at this time occupies the chair of 
President of the Southern California Academy of 
Science, upon arriving at the lake after many months' 
travel across mountain, plain and desert, as a ''pioneer 
pilgrim," saw its "setting"^ and beauties as described 
above, and feeling the inspiration that comes to all 
beholders that possess the divine element of poetry or 
the love of the grand in nature, and learning that 
"Tahoe" was the aboriginal name given to it by the 
Indians, who, for countless centuries had camped upon 
its shores and fished in its clear waters, conceived the 
idea that the aboriginal name would be most appro- 
priate to go into history rather than that of a little 
known statesman. Mr. Knight afterwards secured 
the enactment of a law by the Legislature of Califor- 
nia changing the name to "Tahoe," and it was ap- 
proved by the Land Office at Washington. 

Another beautiful sheet of water is "Mirror Lake," 
in the Yosemite Valley. Its beaut3% fascination and 
grandeur of its surroundings are unsurpassed in the 
world. It is formed by the waters flowing down from 
Lake Teu-il-ya to join the Merced River, and covers 
an area of about eight acres. 



ELDORADO 235 

It is noted for its transparent beauty. Here the 
overhanging mountains, trees and foliage are all mir- 
rored in the water below as clear and life-like as they 
stand upon the banks. 

California is eminently a land of flowers and if the 
invasion of civilization has broken the natural beauty 
of the valleys and rolling hills by the uniformity of 
wheat fields, vineyards, orange groves and flower gar- 
dens, it has introduced scientific industry, refinement 
and happy homes where the domestic comforts are 
in marked contrast with the pastored, semi-barbarous 
lives of the early Spanish settlers of the country, and 
where the perpetual bloom of the rose, heliotrope, ger- 
anium, honey-suckle and lily, so abundant every month 
in the year, will compensate for the partial loss of the 
wild flowers of the valleys. While its people are des- 
tined to engage extensively in commercial enterprises, 
its population will, to a very large extent; pursue rural 
industries, supplying the world's constantly increasing 
demands for the products of its grain fields, its semi- 
tropic and deciduous fruit orchards, which have al- 
ready gained for California great fame. 

Mr. John H. Mills, one of the best know^n and tried 
friends of the State, justifies the universal love for Cali- 
fornia among its citizens in the following eloquent pas- 
sage: "The love of Californians for their State, which 
is proverbial, is not devoid of justification. What other 
country presents such inspirations of love and devo- 
tion ? In what other country is there broader freedom 
of thought and action ? In what other country are the 
alluring prophecies which attend young life more cer- 
tain of fulfillment? In what country do the higher 



236 ELDORADO 

blessings of peace and plenty minister to the comforts 
of age? Are there other countries in which honest in- 
dustry achieves higher respect or in which labor earns 
a higher meed of profit and honor? Under our sum- 
mer suns the fruits of the tropics ripen, unaccompan- 
ied by the discomforts of the torrid zone. Here the 
brown of our summer hills and the golden stubble of 
the after-harvest are the only winters that we know. 
Here a spring-like verdure is the harbinger of the 
coming autumn, and the autumn is attended by no 
forewarning of the bleak rigors of winter. Here win- 
ter is the season when the warm, brown earth is turned 
by the plow for seed time, and spring with its flowers 
and ripening grain is opulent with the prophecy of 
hopeful industry. Nor are these all the features which 
challenge our love of country. Here nature has 
wrought her best enchantments in the sublimity of 
mountain heights, the bold grandeur of cliffs, the pen- 
sive peacefulness of lovely valleys and the expansive 
splendor of fertile hills. Looking backward we see a 
history founded on the romance of adventure. In the 
present we are laying the foundations of a noble com- 
monwealth by the establishment of permanent indus- 
tries. If, therefore, the manifestation of love for our 
State may sometimes appear boastful or provincial, 
let it find apology in the consideration that provin- 
cialism is an expression of local patriotism, and that 
with the people of California it is the inspiration of 
high endeavor, which, when duly chastened, will ripen 
for our beloved State its growing harvest of hope." 



ELDORADO 237 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



REMARKABLE ADVENTURES AND HEROISM 
OF CALIFORNIA PIONEERS, A QUAR- 
TER OF A CENTURY BEFORE 
THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD. 

J. S. Smith was one of the most celebrated of 
American trappers, and was the first American who, 
by the overland route, ever set foot within the borders 
of California. Smith was a large-seized, fine looking 
man, with black hair and blue eyes, and was a native 
of Virginia or Kentucky. He was a man of the most 
unbounded courage, and added to his bravery a cool 
judgment and a ready wit. He was a man for emer- 
gencies, and his adventures, like those of another of 
the Smith family. Captain John Smith, of Virginia, 
trench closely upon the marvelous. 

Living in almost hourly peril, he was one of the few 
trappers who perished at the hands of the Indians. 
Leaving his camp on the plains, he started for the 
Cimmaron river, to search for water for his comrades, 
and this hero of twice a hundred battles was waylaid 
bv the savages and murdered. Trapping along the 
headwaters of the Missouri river. Smith crossed over 



*"From the AUeghanies to the Pacific. The Era of Colonization." 



238 ELDORADO 

the mountains in the spring of 1824, and with a small 
party made his way, the succeeding spring, into Cali- 
fornia. He camped on the American river, and in 
July, 1825, built a post a few miles above the point 
stibsequently selected by General Sutter for his fort, 
and not far distant from the post, established a few 
years later by the Waldoes, near the present site of 
the town of Folsom. Here he followed his pursuit 
of hunting and trapping vigorously, for several 
months. In October, of the same year. Smith left 
his men at this post and, undeterred by the imminent 
perils of his journey, started East to inform his part- 
ners — then on Green river — of his new location. He 
made many narrow escapes on this journey; had his 
horse stolen by seven Indians, and marched boldly 
into their camp and retook it before their faces, they 
not daring to attack him, so great was their fear of 
the celebrated trapper. Before crossing the mount- 
ains, Smith had been a prime favorite of Blackbird, 
the great Omaha chief. This was one of the shrewd- 
est Indians that ever lived, and with a wisdom greater 
than that of Tecumseh, or Pontiac. he realized at 
once the futility of a struggle against the whites, and 
bv a peaceful policy, determined to reap the greatest 
benefit possible from this knowledge. By his arts of 
statecraft, backed by a fearless courage and an in- 
domitable will. Blackbird obtained such a supremiicy 
among his people, as has seldom fallen to the lot of 
a self-appointed ruler. His power was absolute. 
From some of the traders he had learned the use of 
arsenic, in destroying life, and with a full sup]5ly of 
this deadly poison, he obtained a great reputation as 



ELDORADO 239 

a medicine man. Whoever opposed his measures or 
his wishes, was sure to perish. A few days before 
administering the fatal dose, he would announce that 
such a chief would die ; it had been revealed to him 
by the Great Spirit. The prophecy never failed. 
When traders came to the village, Blackbird had their 
packs brought to their lodge, and there, for the first 
time, they were opened ; no one being admitted to the 
lodge but the trader and himself. He then selected 
such articles as he fancied, often taking half of the 
goods, but to remunerate the white man, he forced the 
tribe to buy the rest at a double valuation. In this 
wav he remained on the best terms with all of the 
traders : benefiting them and enriching himself at the 
expense of his followers, somewhat after the manner 
of more modern princes. Remorse seemed never to 
trouble his adaptable conscience, except upon a sin- 
gle occasion. His favorite squaw offended him in 
some wav, and with a single blow of his knife he 
streched her dead at his feet. In an instant he realized 
what the violence of his temper had caused him to do. 
Seating himself in his lodge, he covered his head with 
his blanket, and in his solitude gave way to the agony 
of his grief. For three days and nights he remained 
thus, deaf to the prayers and entreaties of his people, 
and never moved, until at last, one of the squaws 
brought in the little child of the dead woman, and 
laising the leg of the chief, placed the child beneath 
it, with the foot of the chief upon its neck, and then 
left the lodge. Roused by the weeping of the infant. 
Blackbird arose, bathed and went forth, to the great 
delight of the tribe. 



240 EI^DORADO 

At last a formidable rival arose in the person of 
Little Bow, a noted young chief, who led a consider- 
able faction against the tyranny and extortion of 
Blackbird. For a time he made considerable headway, 
but was at last overcome by the superior machinations 
of the wily old chief. He first endeavored to remove 
the young chief, in his usual manner, by poison, and 
employed the squaw of the latter to administer it, 
but Little Bow had in some way become suscpicious of 
the actions of the woman, and when she brought him 
the poisoned food, he detected it from her great em- 
barrassment and forced her to eat it, of course causing 
her death. Blackbird, nothing daunted, continued his 
intrigues, and finally succeeded in driving out his rival 
and the party that adhered to him. 

In his latter days, Blackbird became very corpulent 
and unwieldy. Continued feasts were now made in 
his honor, to which he was conveyed, seated upon a 
blanket borne by four men. Even in this helpless 
state, he maintained his power, and to the day of his 
death ruled his people with a rod of iron. Before he 
died, he asked that he should be buried on the top of a 
high hill, overlooking the village, that he might still 
see the boats of the traders ascending the river, and 
be gladdened by the presence of his white friends. 
He desired to be buried sitting upon his favorite steed, 
with his face looking toward the current of the mighty 
river. All of his wishes were carried out at his burial, 
and for years after food and water were daily placed 
upon his grave. This was eagerly devoured by the 
hawks, eagles and coyotes, but his tribe firmly be- ' 
lieved that their chief had eaten the food prepared for 



ELDORADO 241 

him. His flag-staff, with its floating pennant, was 
constantly renewed, until the tribe was forced to 
leave for another location. 

Smith's testimony — for he was a man of more than 
usual observation and of undoubted veracity — sets at 
rest all disputes in regard to a custom of some of the 
plains Indians, in making human sacrifices as a re- 
ligious duty. He positively asserts that the Pawnees 
had such a custom, and states that this sacrifice was 
made to the Great Star (Venus). One of their pris- 
oners — sometimes a man and sometimes a woman — 
was selected and carefully fed with every luxury they 
could obtain. The fate in store for the victim was 
carefully concealed, and he or she was dressed in the 
finest raiment obtainable, and under perfect ease of 
body and mind, rapidly fattened. When the body had 
become plump and round, the victim was led out and 
bound at a stake shaped like a cross, his outstretched 
arms being fastened to the arm-piece. Ceremonies 
and dances were then performed by the people, and 
mvsterious mummeries and incantations by the medi- 
cine men. and when this was concluded, one of the 
latter approached the stake, and with a single blow of 
his tomahawk, split the skull of the victim. The body 
was then shot full of arrows, and the sacrifice was 
completed. 

Tn Mav, 1826. Smith again set out for California, 
accompanied bv a small party of men. In a few days 
after their .start, thev were attacked bv Indians, and 
from this time on thev were harrassed dav and nieht 
bv the savages. The others wished to turn back, and 
^g Smith told them that they were at perfect libertv to 



242 ELDORADO 

do so, but that he had started for California, and he 
intended to go through or die. Not a man turned 
back. Worn out with their continual skirmishing, 
they were surrounded at the Mohave settlements, on 
the Colorado river, and a desperate battle began. 
The swarming savages attempted charge after charge, 
but the handful of whites lying behind the few rocks 
they had thrown around them as a breast-work, drove 
them back each time with terrible slaughter. Man 
after man fell within the slight fortification, and 
when night came. Smith determined, with the seven 
men left, to cut his way through the lines of the ene- 
my and attempt escape by flight. As soon as it was 
dark. Smith told his comrades of his determination, 
showing them the folly of lying behind their insuffi- 
cient protection, where eventually all would be killed ; 
and they agreed to the desperate suggestion. Look- 
ing to the charges in their rifles, they secured the am- 
munition of their dead companions, and burst furious- 
ly upon one side of the savage line. This gave way 
after a brief stubborn contest, and the white broke 
through, having lost four of their number at this 
point. Smith, with these two surviving comrades. 
Turner and Galbraith, after a thousand perils entered 
California close to the Mexican line, in December, 
and were there arrested under the suspicion that they 
intended mischief, or had designs upon the govern- 
ment. They were carried before General Echandia, 
who was located at San Diego, and here this invading 
force of three almost naked men was subjected to a 
rigid interrogation as to their aims and business in 
entering the country. Their answers, though strictly 



ElyDORADO 243 

true, failed to convince Echandia of the innocence of 
their intentions, and they were thrown nito prison, 
from which they were released only after the inter- 
vention of the officers commanding the American 
merchantmen and whalers then lying on the coast. In 
the letter, signed by the officers of the ships, "Courier," 
"Waverly" and "Olive Branch, the motives and neces- 
sities of Smith and his comrades were fully set forth, 
and it was shown that they had been forced to enter 
the territory subject to Echandia, to escape starvation 
upon the barren and desolute stretches of plain and 
mountain, lying between longitudes forty-two and for- 
ty-two and forty-three west. They stated that the sole 
purpose of the three men upon the Pacific slope was 
to trap beaver, and trade with the Indians of that sec- 
tion, that there was not the slightest political signifi- 
cance in their visit. That their passports from the 
Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the United 
United States, had been vised and found correct, and, 
in conclusion, they asked that the trappers might be 
permitted to make their way to the Columbia river, 
in Oregon, through California, believing that if they 
were forced to return by the route they had come, thev 
must inevitably perish at the hands of hostile Indians 
or of hunger and thirst, in that inhospitable region 
from which they had so narrowly escaped. 

The men were discharged, and permitted to travel 
through California to their destination. Of this per- 
mission. Smith at once availed himself, but Turner 
and Oalbraith — who had had enough hunting and 
trapping — determined to remain in California. Smith 
proceeded to his camp on the American river, and with 



244 ELDORADO 

his comrades, who had been left there the preceding 
year, started towards the Columbia. The winter was 
now upon them in all its fury, and after several inef- 
fectual attempts to cross the snow-clad Sierras north 
of them, they gave up in despair, and returned once 
more to the valley, having suffered terribly. 

After spending a short time at their old post on the 
American river, above the present site of Sacramento 
city, they determined to seek other quarters further 
south, where game was plentiful, and finally located 
their camp a few miles east of the Bay of San Fran- 
cisco. The Jesuit Fathers being greatly alarmed at 
the proximity of these hercticas Americanos to their 
Indian flocks, sent a messenger to demand the 
cause of their presence. Reduced to the most desper- 
ate extremities, almost naked, and destitute of any pro- 
vision, except the flesh of such game as they might 
be able to kill. Smith sent the following letter to 
Father Duran.then in charge of the Mission Santa 
Clara : 

"Reverend Father: — I understand, through the me- 
dium of one of your Christian Indians, that you are 
anxious to know who we are, as some of the Indians 
have been at the Mission and informed you that there 
were certain white people in the country. We are 
Americans, on our journev to the River Columbia. 
We were at the Mission San Gabriel in Januarv last. 
T went to San Diego and saw the General, and got a 
passport from him to pass on to that place. T have 
made several attempts to cross the mountains, but the 
snows being so deep, I could not succeed in gettinp- 
over. T returned to this place fit being the point to 



ElvDOKADO 24s 

kill meat) to wait a few weeks until the snow melts, 
so that 1 can go on. The Indians there also being 
friendly, I consider it the most safe point for me to 
remain until such time as I can cross the mountains 
Aith my horses, liaving lost a great many in attempt- 
ing to cross ten or fifteen days since. 1 am a long 
ways from home, and am anxious to get there as soon 
as the nature of the case will admit. Our situation is 
quite unpleasant, being destitute of clothing, and most 
of the necessities of life, wild meat being our principal 
subsistence. I am. Reverend Father, your strange but 
real friend and Christian brother. J. S. Smith, May 
19th, 1827." 

With the opening of the summer, the snows melted, 
and the trappers continued on their journey toward 
the north. iVs they traveled, they were daily attacked 
bv small bands of skulking Indians, and when they 
reached the mouth of the Umphqua river in Oregon, 
their troubles culminated. Here they were attacked in 
the early dawn, while all of them were asleep, by 
hundreds of savages, and of the whole number but 
three escaped, amongst them Captain Smith. They 
lost all of their packs of furs, worth thousands of dol- 
lars, these being taken by the Indians to the posts of 
the Hudson Bay Company, and there sold. Smith, 
with Daniel Fryer and Richard Laughlin. continued 
their journey to the north, after their almost miracu- 
lous escape, and eventually succeeded in reaching 
Fort Vancouver, on the west bank of the Columbia. 
Here he remained, making various excursions in all 
directions, until 1830, when he returned to St. Louis 
and sold out his interest in the fur company. It is said 
that during his expeditions in the mountains, lying 



246 ELDORADO 

between the Great Salt Lake, Utah, and Mono Lake 
ni California, Smith discovered gold in considerable 
quantities and disclosed his secret to his partners. Ot 
this, however, we lack sufficient testimony to pro- 
nounce it a fact. Some of his comrades also asserted 
that the bullets fired at them by the Indians during 
their many fights on the Wind River mountains, and 
also near the present sight of Virginia City, Nevada, 
were made of, or heavily alloyed with gold. This, 
too, seems a matter of much doubt. Having closed 
out his interest in the fur business Smith found it 
impossible to content himself in St. Louis, or, in fact, 
anywhere within the limits of civilization, and in less 
than a year after he had retired from the exciting 
life of a hunter and trapper, we find him undertaking 
new risks and dangers. But before going further, 
we will dispose of the claim often made for James O. 
Pattie, that he was the first American to enter Califor- 
nia overland. Pattie left the Mississippi valley in 1825, 
with a company of trappers, their destination being 
the Pacific Coast. These men roamed over the plains 
and mountains of Colorado and New Mexico for five 
years, and were finally surounded by the Yuma In- 
dians at a point in the Gila valley, near the mouth of 
the Colorado river. The trappers were plundered by 
these Indians, and finally in the year 1830, made their 
entrance into California. A full account of this expe- 
dition appears in the message of Genera) Jackson — 
then President of the United State — to Congress, in 
the year 1836. Captain Brown by water., and Captain 
Smith by land, were the prosaic names of the first 
Americans who ever trod the soil of the Golden State. 
Had Smith been superstitious, or paid any attention 



ELDORADO »47 

lo omens he would have hesitated, after his two warn- 
ings — in both of which he had made one of the mys- 
tical number, three, who had escaped almost miracu- 
lously from the masscre, in which their comrades had 
been involved — before undertaking other excursions 
in which he must meet his old foes, the treacherous 
savages, and might also encounter those unseen but 
none the less terrible demons of thirst and famine. 
But Smith was a man who knew no fear, and so com- 
passed had his life been with dangers that its every 
exploit had borne a seeming omen of evil. Trusting 
to the kindly Providence that had so far preserved 
him, and longing for the absolute freedom from re- 
straint and the exciting adventure of border life, he 
started with an immigrant party to Santa Fe. 

This was in 1831, and the Indians along the South- 
ern route were unusually troublesome ; the situation 
calling for all the old trapper's vigilance and experi- 
ence to protect the train under his charge. Finally 
they reached the dry bed of the Cimaron and Smith 
started out from camp to find a water-hole, not daring 
to send one of the immigrants, for fear he might be 
ambushed and killed. 

As he was riding along a party of twenty-five In- 
dians secreted in a ravine, fired upon him from under 
the cover of its bank at a distance of about twenty 
yards. Smith fell from his horse, shot through by 
three bullets, but as the savages rushed up, he suc- 
ceeded in killing one with his rifle. Having supposed 
him dead, they halted, and while huddled together in 
a compact mass, he emptied his two pistols into them 
and two men fell to the ground. He attempted to 
rise, and another volley of balls was directed against 



248 ELDORADO 

him, and with a shudder he fell back and expired. 
Yellow Bear, an Arapahoe chief to whom the Co- 
manches told the tale of this murder — said that for a 
long time the warriors did not dare to approach the 
body of the trapper, and when they did, the fierce 
glare of his wide-open eyes so dismayed them that 
they did not attempt to scalp him. 

Smith was, in some respects, the most remarkable 
of all the trappers, and was certainly the most restless 
and daring of these men. His life was one long series 
of uninterrupted adventure, marked by more than 
the ordinary perils of even his dangerous avocation. 
His exploits, if properly recorded, would shame the 
fictitious deeds of imaginary heroes of the novelist, 
and would require many times the space here given 
to it for the simplest and most concise recital. The 
main features of his romantic career we have been 
enabled to record, though its details have never be- 
fore been seen in print. 

All of these men were men of deeds, not words, 
and their exploits live only in the tales of their com- 
rades ; none of them being given to vainglorious 
boasting of personal prowess. It was from the few 
surviving comrades that our accounts have been gar- 
nered. Their terrible scars, and the scalps at their 
girdle alone spoke of their brave endurance and heroic 
courage. They were the earliest pioneers of the sun- 
scorched plains and frowning mountains that stand 
as unsleeping sentinels between the Mississippi valley 
and the Pacific slope ; in both of which sections Jede- 
diah S. Smith figured as among the most heroic and 
brave. 



ELDORADO 249 



CHAPTER XXV. 



THE DARING ADVENTURES OF BILL BENT 

AND OTHER HISTORIC CHARACTERS IN 

NEW MEXICO AND CALIFORNIA. 

William Bent, or as he was generally known on the 
plains, "Bill Bent," was the most famous of this 
family of men, several of whom were somewhat cele- 
brated. Charles Bent, an older brother, was also a 
plainsman, and a noted one, but never attracted the at- 
tention that Bill did. Both of them had had innumer- 
able battles with the Indians, and in these conflicts 
there was usually the courage of the demi-god on one 
side, and over-powering numbers on the other. 
Charles, who was the eldest of the brothers, was a 
man of some talent for statecraft, and of undoubted 
military capacity. He became Governor of New 
Mexico, and fell, with other Americans, in a native 
conspiracy at Santa Fe. 

Among those who perished at the same time were 
Lawrence Waldo (father of Henry L. Waldo, late 
Chief Justice of New Mexico), who first located on 
the American river in 1832, where the town of Folsom 
now stands, and Stephen Lee of St. Louis, a brother- 
in-law of the Lindells, celebrated hotel men. who were 



250 EIvDORADO 

more noted for their money than for intellectual 
ability. Elliott L,ee, another brother-in-law, and who 
had been in the Missouri State Senate as a representa- 
tive of St. Louis, was rescued by Father Martines, 
the good priest of Taos, N. M. 

In 1829 Charles Bent, Jacob Coats, William Waldo 
and others were attacked, while making their way 
towards the mountains beyond Santa Fe, and for forty 
days the battle raged. Every day the Comanches and 
Kiowas hung in a cloud upon the flanks of the mov- 
ing line of trappers, that steadily as the resistless 
march of fate continued on towards its goal. Every 
night they slept upon their arms, certain of a furious 
assault before the morning's dawn. 

Bill Bent heard of the peril of the small body of 
white men, and with the determination of a hero, he 
resolved to add one more to the number. Mounted 
on a large black mule, whose split ears denoted his 
former Comanche ownership, he started for the train. 
On his way he was attacked and pursued by about 
fifty Comanches. Arrows and bullets whistled past 
him, but the only heed he paid to these was to wheel 
in his saddle and drop some too eager buck, whose 
zeal had outstripped his discretion and brought him in 
range of Bent's deadly Hawken rifle. 

The pursuit ceased, when Bent had reached Coats 
and Waldo, and he dashed on into the line where 
his brother and comrades were desperately fighting. 
Coats and Waldo fired upon Bent's pursuers, and 
brought down two of the foremost, the others rapidly 
retreated. A force of one hundred and twenty Mexi- 
cans joined this little party of fighting Americans, in 



ELDORADO 251 

order to be protected by them. Ewing Young — one 
of the bravest and most generous men of whom the 
annals of the West give any record, and who, as a 
trapper, hunter and Indian fighter, had few equals and 
no superiors — heard of the predicament of his brother 
trappers. He had also learned that the mountain can- 
yon to which they were journeying and which it 
would be impossible to avoid, if they desired to reach 
the mountain streams, had been occupied by two thou- 
sand warriors, who lay in ambush, waiting to entrap 
and annihilate the whites. With forty trappers he 
endeavored to cut his way through the hundreds of 
savages, who surrounded the marching and battling 
train of Waldo and the Bents. 

The odds were too great even for valor such as 
theirs, and they had much difficulty in cutting their 
own way out from the swarms of enveloping Indians. 
It was here that the young hero, Kit Carson, a new 
recruit of Young's, first proved the temper of his 
mettle, and showed himself worthy to combat along- 
side of these veterans of a hundred battles. Young, 
after hammering loose the swarms of savages, re- 
treated to Taos, where he found other trappers as- 
sembled for their yearly rendezvous. With his num- 
bers increased to ninety-five, he again returned to 
the attack, and after a desperate engagement, suc- 
ceeded in reaching the Bents. The Indians, dispirited 
at their want of success, and at the reinforcements of 
their enemies, soon abandoned the light and retired, 
having lost a large number in killed and wounded. 

In the winter of 1830-31, Bill Bent, Robert Isaacs 
and a comrade whose name is unknown, made their 
way into Arizona on a trapping expedition. For a 



252 ELDORADO 

time they met with fair success, and were unmolested, 
but venturing too far, they were surrounded by a body 
of Mescalero Apaches, then, as now, the fiercest of 
the savage tribes. The Indians numbered one hun- 
dred and fifty ; the trappers three, and their chance 
of escape looked more than desperate. 

Hope they had none, but they determined to sell 
their lives as dearly as possible, and cause what loss 
they could to the redskins before "going under." 
When first surrounded the trappers had improved 
their time by throwing up a rude stone breast-work. 
Hardly had this been completed, when with terrific 
whoops, the Apaches came up on a charge. 

Not a shot was wasted ; two fired — the third one 
holding his fire until the others had reloaded — and 
two of the chiefs fell. Before they could get out of 
range, the third man fired, and another leader drop- 
ped. Almost instantly the Apaches returned to the 
charge, but were met by the deadly fire of the two re- 
loaded rifles, and on a closer approach, by the pistol 
shots of the trappers. Again retiring, the Apaches 
conducted the fight thenceforth at a longer range. 

The state of siege was kept up for two days, when 
the savages retired and the delighted white men, al- 
most dead with thirst, sallied forth in search of water. 
Leaving Arizona soon afterwards, they avoided any 
further trouble with these foes, who, remembering 
this drubbing, were glad to allow them to retreat un- 
molested. 

En passant we will here remark that it was about 
this time that General Boggs, afterwards Governor of 
Missouri during her Mormon troubles, had a nar- 
row escape in New Mexico. In a night attack, the 



ElvDORADO 253 

Comanches dashed on horseback through the camp, 
and Boggs, rushing to the aid of the guard, ran in 
the dark against some object with such force as to pre- 
cipitate him violently to the earth. Here he lay un- 
conscious and utterly at the mercy of the savages, 
when Dr. Craig and Hamilton Carson, a brother of 
Kit, rushed to his aid and rescued him. 

Had it not been for their coolness and daring, 
Boggs would have fallen victim to the Indians. It 
was also during this eventful year that William Waldo 
and Antone Chenie had a desperate combat with a 
large body of Comanche and Kiowa Indians, and es- 
caped almost by a miracle. A few years before. Cap- 
tain Pratte. a brother of General Bernard Pratte. of 
St. Louis, fell upon the desert shores of the Gila, and 
not many years after, Alexander Papin. of another 
celebrated St. Louis family, spilled his life blood upon 
the thirsty sands of the winding Arkansas. 

Captain Carr, who had served under Andrew Jack- 
son in nearly all of his battles ; a Mr. Eustace, a rela- 
tive by marriage of the Hon. J. L. D. Alorrison, of 
St. Louis ; Washington Chapman, of P>ooneville, a 
brother-in-law of Col. James Collins, who published 
the first newspaper in New Mexico, and who was 
verv mvsteriously murdered there, and a dozen oth- 
ers, whose names are not remembered, started from 
the citv of Santa Fe some time during the winter of 
18,^2-33. on their wav to St. Louis. Their idea in se- 
lecting this inhospitable season for their trip was, that 
they thereby hoped to avoid molestation by the In- 
dians, as thev had a large amount of gold and silver 
with them. Their route lay along the Canadian Fork 
of the .Arkansas river, and they used every precau- 



254 ELDORADO 

tion to avoid a collision with the savages, but in vain. 

As they w^ere journeying close to a line of low 
sand-hills, a large force of Indians, lying behind them, 
fired upon the party, and in a few seconds all of their 
animals and several of their men lay dead around 
them. Though taken by surprise, the survivors 
fought gallantly, digging shallow rifle pits and piling 
up their dead animals, packs and baggage as breast- 
works. 

Here they maintained themselves until they were 
unable longer to endure the awful agonies of thirst, 
and taking all the ammunition they could carry and a 
few dollars from the vast hoards that lay around 
them, they scattered the remainder of their ammuni- 
tion, so as to render it useless to the Indians, and 
choosing the darkest portion of the night, they stole 
cautiously out of camp and began their toilsome and 
terrible march towards the nearest Arkansas settle- 
ments. 

To their surprise the savages did not pursue them, 
but they found in the frozen and desolate plains, a 
foe no less to be dreaded. They were unable to secure 
any species of game ; and wild beans, the roots of 
weeds and grasses, and even insects, were for sixteen 
days their only food. Almost frozen, and famished 
for want of proper sustenance, they wandered despair- 
ingly onward, regretting that the bullets and the ar- 
rows of the Comanches had not bestowed upon them 
a speedy and merciful death. 

Some fell through exhaustion, and tumble to rise, 
perished where they lay ; others, of stronger frames 
or more indomitable spirit, staggered wearily along, 
mere skeletons of men, looking like horrible phan- 



ELDORADO 255 

tasms, and jibbering in the incipient idiocy, incident 
to their starving thirst, holding with them horrible 
converse and tempting them to suicide and murder. 

On the seventeenth day of their wanderings, one 
of the men — named Harris — of heroic endurance, left 
his dying comrades, and hastened on for relief. The 
others now became idiots, through inanition, wept 
and babbled, unable almost to move. Harris was 
lucky enough to strike the camp of a party of Creek 
Indians, out on a hunting expedition, and sent them to 
the relief of his companions. At this time, William 
Waldo — who was then in the Indian nation, having 
left Santa Fe a short time before — heard of the ter- 
rible plight of these men, and hastened to their relief, 
arrived shortly after their rescue by the Creeks. They 
had been taken to Fort Gibson, and from there by 
boat to St. Louis. 

To palliate, in some measure, the savage hostility of 
the Comanches, at this period it will be necessary to 
explain its origin. Up to a short time before the ter- 
rible battles, in which we have seen the Bents en- 
gaged, the Comanches had always been friendly to 
the American trappers and traders, and fearing no 
trouble, a company of men crossing the plains had 
detached two of their number, McNeice and Monroe, 
to go ahead and select a camping place. 

They had become extremely careless, being in the 
Comanche country and understanding that they were 
friendly, and after choosing a camp, they had, from 
all indications, lain down and gone to sleep. Here 
they were killed bv Indians, who were probably not 
able to resist the temptation of safely murdering two 
white men. The stream upon which this cowardly 



256 ELDORADO 

deed was perpetrated, has ever since borne the name 
of McNiece's creek. 

It was but a few days after this sad occurrence that 
a party of twenty Comanches rode up to the com- 
rades of the murdered man, evidently anticipating no 
trouble ; but the whites, in order to avenge their com- 
panions, fired upon them, only a few of the savages 
escaping the close and unexpected volley. From that 
day to this, the Comanches have been the implacable 
enemies of the whites, though before they had, with 
the exception of the two men, been very friendly. 

In 1826 a party of seventy men, under the command 
of Captain Le Grand, had started from New Orleans 
to Santa Fe, for the purpose of hunting, trapping and 
trading, and missed their way upon the terrible desert 
plateaus of the Llano Estacada, or staked plains. They 
had wandered for days over this terrible tract, and 
fully one-half their number perished of famine, be- 
fore they were discovered by the Comanches ; who, 
after nursing them back to health, clothed them suit- 
ably, and conveyed them to Santa Fe, without de- 
manding ransom or reward. 

A party under command of a Captain Means, of 
Howard countv, Missouri, and whose descendants still 
live in that county, were traveling along a few weeks 
behind the partv which had fired upon the Indians, 
in return for the murder of Monroe and McNeice. 
Ignorant of the change in the attitude of the Co- 
manches, and having everv confidence in their friend- 
ship, these men rode confidently into a large encamp- 
ment of these savages, and were surprised bv a fire, 
thnt cut down Captain Means and several others. 

Retreating as well as they could, thev entrenched 



EIvDORADO 257 

themselves, as the Eustice party afterwards did, with 
their dead mules and baggage. Here they made a 
brave fight, but were at last compelled to succumb to 
the same enemy that afterwards vanquished Eustice, 
and packing all their money upon their backs they 
stole out of camp during the night, and retreated to- 
wards the Arkansas river. 

When this was reached, they found that they were 
unable to carry their money any further, and they 
cached it on the west bank of the river, where it was 
recovered the next year intact, not a single dollar 
missing. A brawny Englishman carried, to the last, 
his share of the money, some seventeen hundred silver 
dollars — in weight, about a hundred pounds. He de- 
clared that he'd just as lief be dead, as to be without 
ready money, and that while he lived he would carry 
it. Most of the company became exhausted from 
famine. Two of the most hardy hastened forward for 
succor. 

These were Thomas Ellison, of Cooper countv, and 
Bryant of Boone countv, IVTissouri. At Council Grove, 
Kansas — then in the wilderness — they managed to kill 
a bird, either a crow or a buzzard, and, after a feast 
upon this obscene fowl, they were able to push on to 
the settlements on the border, where they obtained 
aid for their dying comrades.. All of these were in 
a pitiable plight, when rescued. One of them named 
Harriman. a resident of Chariton countv, Missouri, 
had become perfectly blind and when found was Iving 
upon his back endeavoring to beat ofif, with a stick, 
the swarming covotes. which from his cadaverous ap- 
pearance, and their determined attacks, seemed to 
17 fancy him already legitimate prey. 



258 ELDORADO 

In 1829, a party of men, of whom the Bents and 
Waldo were among the number, were still willing to 
encounter the fearful odds of Indian combat, applied 
to General Andrew Jackson, who had just taken his 
seat as President, for a military escort to accompany 
them to the Arkansas river, which at that time formed 
the boundary between the two republics of North 
America. 

This request was readily granted, and Major Ben- 
nett Riley — who afterwards became a General, and 
who figured in the history of the Pacific slope as Mil- 
itary Governor of California — was detailed with two 
hundred men to meet the party at Fort Leavenworth 
and accompany them to the Arkansas. The company 
of traders numbering sixty men rendezvoused at 
Round Grove, about forty miles west of Independ- 
ence, Missouri. Here Charles Bent was chosen Cap- 
tain of the company, and with thirty-six wagons, fully 
freighted with valuable goods, they set out for Santa 
Fe ; being joined by Major Riley, to whom they had 
dispatched a messenger, at the junction of the Inde- 
pendence and Leavenworth trails. 

In due time, and without any event worthy of rec- 
ord, they reached the Arkansas, at Chouteau's Island, 
and bidding farewell to the gallant Major and his 
brave soldiers they plunged into the shallow waters 
.of the river; and were soon on Mexican soil. Here 
their troubles began ; the deep, dry sand engulfing 
their wagon wheels almost to the hubs, stalled the 
teams, and utterly prevented an orderly arrangement 
upon the march. Notwithstanding the constant order 
to close up, the wagons were soon strung out over 
half a mile of road. To guard against surprise, Cap- 



ELDORADO 259 

tain Bent had thrown out advance and rear guards, 
but either through negligence of these videttes, or 
from the completeness with which the Indians had 
concealed themselves, they had gone only nine miles, 
when the savages seemed to spring from the very 
bowels of the earth, and poured in a close and heavy 
fire upon them. 

The surprise was complete, but Bent, mounted on a 
large black horse, bareheaded, and with his long black 
hair floating upon the wind, dashed up and down the 
line forming his men. Every ravine swarmed with 
Indians, but above their terrific yelling was heard the 
stentorian whoop of Bent. Two of his men had been 
lagging in the rear of the train, and, at the first fire, 
one fell dead, while the other, with fifty Indians in 
pursuit, dashed on towards the wagons. 

Escape would have been impossible, had not Bent 
seen the situation and charged toward the advancing 
savages with a fury that eflFectually checked their pur- 
suit, and enable the man to join his comrades. The 
battle continued to rage furiously, and nothing but 
Bent's coolness, and the desperate bravery of his men. 
prevented a charge from the Indians, who numbered 
at least a thousand. In the train was a small brass 
cannon, the first that ever crossed the Arkansas trail, 
and it was greatly dreaded by the Comanches. 
amongst whom the first discharge had made fearful 
havoc. 

After digging rifle-pits. Bent, seeing that without 
water he would be unable to long maintain his posi- 
tion, called for volunteers to endeavor to notify Major 
Riley of the situation of the party. Although the 
dutv seemed one that must lead to certain death, vet 



26o ELDORADO 

so great a number announced their willingness to go, 
that it was necessary to select nine men to undertake 
the mission. These heroes knew that their sole de- 
pendence lay in their fighting qualities, for their mules 
were so worn down by fatigue, that flight was out of 
the question. From some unaccountable reason the 
swarming Indians allowed them to pass through their 
lines, without firing a single shot at them, and with 
all haste they set out for the Arkansas river, where 
they still hoped to find Riley encamped. 

This gallant officer beheld them, at some distance, 
and rightly surmising that there was trouble ahead, 
he at once began striking his tents, and by the time 
thev had arrived, he was already upon Mexican soil, 
and marching swiftly to the relief of his beleaguered 
countrymen. It was a breach of national etiquette — 
this crossing the boundary of a friendly power with 
an armed force — but blood was thicker than water, 
and the ties of true bravery and humanity more po- 
tent than the red tape rules of form and ceremony. 

So rapid and silent was Riley's approach to the 
train, that he even penetrated between the pickets of 
the traders and their camp before he was discovered. 
Then there arose such joyous cheers from camp and 
soldiers that the savages, concluding that they, in turn, 
would have to assume the defensive, quietly de- 
camped, and the caravan was accompanied through 
the sand hills bv the troops, and was once more safe. 

The arrival of Rilev was a God-send to the trap- 
pers, who must otherwise have eventually been obliged 
to desert their train, and seek for water, or perish of 
thirst. One of the hired men in the train now ap- 



ELDORADO 261 

plied lo the Major to enlist with him, but, surmising 
liis reason for this move, the officer asked him why he 
wished to become a soldier, 'ihe fellow frankly in- 
formed him that he was afraid to contmue wun tlie 
tram, now that the escort was about to return. As 
soon as he heard this answer, Rilqy told him that his 
men were soldiers, not cowards, and he did not want 
any of the latter class. 

Others of the train men were waiting to see the 
success of this fellow's application, and if all had en- 
listed who desired to do so the expedition of the 
traders must have been abandoned right there. 

Mr. Lamb, the wealthiest of the traders, fell in this 
battle, and was buried in the sand hills, but after- 
wards, I believe, the remains were removed to St. 
Louis, and there re-interred. We have now, after 
considerable preliminary explanation, approached the 
reason for the traders turning their course from Santa 
Fe, which point they had intended at first to reach, 
to Taos, some eighty miles further to the north. By 
this detour they not only avoided canyons, in which 
there were sure to be dangerous ambuscades, but they 
were also enabled to obtain a Mexican military es- 
cort. General Viscarro was ordered to accompany 
the traders from Taos to Santa Fe, and they once 
more set out on their journey. 

At Cinnamon river a large party of savages ap- 
proached the escort, bearing in their van the Chris- 
tian symbol of the cross, made by tying an arrow 
transversely across a spear. Honoring this novel flag 
of truce with the devotion of a true Catholic, Viscarro 
was informed that, if he would order the Americans 
to remove to a sufficient distance to prevent them from 



262 EI.DORADO 

beholding the submission of the Comanches, the latter 
would surrender, and lay down their arms. 

Viscarro very foolishly allowed himself to be made 
a victim of this weak strategem, and no sooner had the 
foes whom the Indians so greatly dreaded, retired out 
of sight, than the treacherous savages poured a de- 
structive fire into the Mexican ranks at such close 
range as to kill and wound many of the ofhcers and 
men. The escort, taken completely by surprise, was 
entirely at the mercy of the Indians, when Bent, hear- 
ing the firing and suspecting treachery, gathered to- 
gether his mounted men, and flew to the relief of the 
Mexicans. 

Enraged at the peculiar infamy of the savages, Bent 
and his men burst upon them with fierce yells and 
oaths, and delivered a deadly volley right in their 
faces. Their rifles were then discarded, and having 
next emptied their pistols, they followed up their at- 
tack with tomahawks and clubbed rifles, and soon 
had the Comanches in full flight, the field thickly 
strewn with their dead and wounded. 

An action worthy of record was here performed by 
a Pueblo (or village) Indian, of the San Pablo com- 
munity. Being near General Viscarro, and under- 
standing the language of the hostiles, he heard one 
of the latter exclaim, in his native tongue, "Now for 
this General," and calling out at the top of his voice 
"homhres quedado" (look out men) he then threw 
himself before Viscarro and received in his own body 
the bullet intended for the commander, and fell to the 
ground, as noble a hero as the lists of chivalry record. 

On the return of the caravan to the Arkansas river, 
it was still under the protection of Viscarro, who 



EIvDORADO 263 

was anxious to meet Major Riley, who it was un- 
derstood, was on the east bank of that river awaiting 
the arrival of the traders. 

After the departure of the train, which Riley had 
escorted through the sand hills, he had received or- 
ders to remain on the Arkansas river until it should 
have returned and convey it back to the Missouri. 
For three months the brave fellow had held his post 
in this barren wilderness, and had had almost daily 
battles with the Indians. Quite a number of his men 
had been slain in these desultory combats, and nearly 
all of his stock had been killed or stampeded. 

His greatest disaster had occurred through .the 
cowardise of one of his officers, a Captain, whom he 
had sent with a large force to kill some buffaloes. 
The Indians attacked the party, and this Captain of 
the Bob Acres school, fled and suflfered a number of 
his men to be slaughtered by the savages. He was 
afterwards court-martialed, and ignominiously dis- 
missed from the service. 

Riley at last became satisfied that the traders had 
either been massacred by the Indians, or had deter- 
mined to stay in Mexico, and crippled as he was for 
want of stock, he set out on his return to "the States" 
just two days before Viscarro's arrival on the oppo- 
site bank. So anxious was the Mexican to meet the 
American troops, that Bent sent an express on to over- 
take Riley, and halt him, until they could come up. 
He was found about thirty miles from the Arkansas, 
and when the Mexicans arrived two days were very 
pleasantly spent in the interchange of military cour- 
tesies. There were drills, inspections, dress parades 



264 ELDORADO 

and sham battles, and the men of the two escorts 
parted firm friends. 

From this time on nothing exciting occurred, and 
the Americans and Mexicans reached their respective 
homes in safety, meeting with no more serious an- 
noyance than the nightly serenades of the infernal 
coyotes. The disheartened savages had given up their 
attempt to crush out the travel along the Arkansas 
trail, and entered into no more great military combina- 
tions, preferring the safer and to them more natural 
warfare of small, predatory bands, moving with ce- 
lerity, and striking only detached individuals, and 
small, unguarded bodies of men. Depending entirely 
upon the hunting for their supplies, and with no idea 
of an organized commisariat, the savage is unequal 
to extended or prolonged military operations, and to 
this fact, almost as much as to his inferior determina- 
tion, may be traced the causes of his immense infer- 
iority to the white man as a warrior. 

Bents Fort, or Fort William, as it was first known, 
was situated on the Arkansas, and was the property 
of St. Yrain and William Bent. It was built in 1833, 
and the celebrated Kit Carson — who had graduated 
as a trapper and hunter, as well as Indian fighter, 
from the school of the brave and noble Ewing Young 
— was the post hunter here from 1834 to 1842. In the 
latter year he became the chief guide to Lieutenant 
Fremont, and acted as such in his various expeditions, 
undertaken under government auspices. This fort 
witnessed many mutations, and was the scene of sev- 
eral important events. Here General Kearney rendez- 
voused his troops, before starting across the plains 
for the conquest of California, and here the Texas 



ELDORADO 265 

ftlibustering expedition of Colonels Snivel)' and War- 
tield gathered, in 1843, ^^^' their decent upon Mexico. 

On one occasion it was besieged by some thousands 
of plain's Indians ; all of the various tribes having laid 
aside their mutual hostilities, and leagued together for 
the extermination of the white men, and the closing 
of all routes across the plains, and through their hunt- 
ing grounds. Bill Bent, approaching it with his wagon 
train, and knowing that two or three hundred raw 
recruits of the United States army formed its only 
garrison, hastened rapidly to its relief. On his way 
he met several deserters, who, in the night, had scaled 
the walls of what they regarded as a doomed place, 
and stealing cautiously through the savage lines, had 
fled with all speed toward the States. 

Several couriers had also been dispatched, at inter- 
vals of twelve hours apart, to hurry up reinforce- 
ments. When he arrived in sight of his fort, Bent saw 
that it was menaced by a terrible danger ; the thou- 
sands of hostile Indians dancing their war and scalp 
dances, and endeavoring to work themselves up to the 
proper pitch of frenzy to make their attack. At the 
sight. Bent's blood fairly boiled, and leaving his train 
under charge of one of his best men, he mounted his 
horse and rode furiously toward the fort. His hat was 
off, and his long hair trailed out behind him like a 
banner from its staff, and it was a trophy, that any 
of the savages would have been more than proud to 
wear at his belt. 

As he dashed along he uttered his fierce war-whoop, 
and with oaths, couched in the choicest Cheyenne, 
v^ioux, Arapaho and English, he dashed through the 
ranks of the awe-struck Indians and reached the eate 



266 EI.DORADO 

of the fort. Behind hnn, no less brave nor deter- 
mined, came tearing along his firm friend and ally, 
Yellow Bear, the great Arapaho chief and strung out 
in single file behind him, came fiercely onward a few 
of his truest braves, any one of whom would have 
gone cheerfully to his death at the word of Bent or 
Yellow Bear. 

The wagon train came steadily along, its men 
marching, fully armed, alongside, and all well closed 
up, and it reached the fort in safety. Here they found 
Bent getting everything ready in order to give a warm 
welcome to the braves, who were evidently bent on an 
assault. They would have met with a hot reception, 
but their numbers must have eventually triumphed, 
when an unforeseen event occurred. The look-out, 
the next morning after Bent's arrival, beheld afar to 
the East a slight cloud of dust, and after a while, a 
few black specks became visible beneath its shadow. 
As these approached they grew in size and were seen 
to be Indian videttes, with their ponies on a dead run. 

On their arrival at the Indian encampment — for the 
Indians had ostensibly come to demand their annui- 
ties, and had brought along their families, goods and 
lodges — a curious scene was enacted. The squaws at 
once began taking down their lodges, adjusting and 
packing their travais, and soon the entire Indian camp 
was in full retreat. Amidst the insulting yells of the 
warriors, the yelping of dogs, the squalling of babies 
and the rattle of pots and kettles, piled upon the 
travais, the savage besiegers crossed the Arkansas 
and disappeared from view. 

The mystery of this unaccountable move upon the 
part of the allied Indians was explained when, late on 



ELDORADO 267 

the evening of the next day, those in the fort beheld 
the approach of a regiment of United States cavah-y 
which had been sent to the rehef of the fort. By their 
admirable picket system, the savages had been ap- 
prised of their approach long before the whites 
dreamed of it, and fearing that vengeance might be 
taken for their hostile attitude and their warlike 
threats they had prudently decamped. 

Bill Bent had quite a family by a Cheyenne wife, 
and at one time bought property at Westport, Mis- 
souri — for which at that time, Kansas City was the 
landing — and furnished his house handsomely. The 
restraints of civilization were, however, too much for 
the prairie-born and plains-reared wife and children, 
and they returned to the wilderness, after a short trial 
of their new life. His daughter married some white 
man at Westport, and the boys returned to their 
mother's tribe, where they became thorough Indians, 
although, through the efforts of their father who 
spared no pains to civilize them, they had acquired 
moderate educations. 

When the ranchmen were retreating from the Platte 
during the Sioux and Cheyenne troubles about 1863, 
it was reported that two of Bent's sons, George and 
one called "little Bent," were in command of 
Cheyenne bands. None of them ever attained the 
celebrity of tlieir father, in anything; the taint of In- 
dian blood poisoning their nobler qualities, and these 
"degenerate sons of an illustrious sire" show strongly 
the evil effects of a mongrel mixture of races, in 
which, as a general rule, only the worst qualities of 
each parent are perpetuated, .and the nobler extin- 
guished." 



j68 ELDORADO 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



PERSONAL NARRATIVE CONTINUED. 

In the spring of 1856 I disposed of my property in- 
terests on the Consumnes river in Sacramento county 
for the purpose of returning to the States. It was to 
fulfill a promise made to my mother when eleven years 
of age, on the death of my brothers in 1837 that I 
would care for her and father when they became old. 
That time had now come. The promise was kept, and 
at their death a monument was erected to their mem- 
ory, on the one side "To my mother," "Blessed are the 
dead who die in the Lord;" on the other, "Gone to his 
rest." For the third and last time I returned to Cali- 
fornia. 

Before leaving for the States with my wife and six 
months' old child (I was married in San Francisco 
January 19th, 1854), I visited various districts of the 
mining region with which I had not previously been 
familiar, traveling by stage as an "occasional" corre- 
spondent of the Sacramento Union. 

Except by pack train, the old Concord stage coach 
was the only mode of traveling over the mountains in 
those days, with six broncos attached and the cele- 
brated "Hank Monk" or other fearless Jehus for 
drivers. The perilous rides at breakneck speed along 



ELDORADO 269 

mountain grades, with only a narrow margin into the 
abyss a thousand feet below, would sometimes make 
one's "hair stand on end." A traveler has only to 
round "Cape Horn" on the Central Pacific railroad to 
realize the sensation of rounding that point in a stage 
coach with broncos at full speed. 

Staging- over the mountains in the '50's was "pleas- 
antly" illustrated in the trip to California of Horace 
Greeley and Schuyler Colfax. While at Reese's Sta- 
tion in Carson valley Mr. Greeley expressed some 
doubt of reaching Hangtown in time to deliver a pre- 
viously advertised lecture at that place. "Hank Monk" 
was the driver. The distance was one hundred miles. 
After leaving the station at the snow line near the 
backbone of the high Sierras on the down grade,. 
Hank, with his long whip, would urge his six fleet- 
footed broncos along the stretches and around the 
curves, causing the coach— as Mr. Greeley expressed 
it — to "sway and rock like a ship in a storm." Finally, 
believing his own life and that of all those with him to 
be in imminent danger Air. Greeley requested the 
driver to slow up, or he would lea^'e the stage and go 
on foot. The only reply he received was, "Keep your 
shirt on, Mr. Greeley, I will get you there on time," 
followed by a crack of the whip. He got him there 
all right. 

Poor Hank Monk, generous, jovial and true, was 
everybody's friend. His last words on his dying bed 
were, "I am on the down grade and I can't get my foot 
on the break." 

We visited Illinois town in Placer county (now Col- 
fax, named after the Vice-President), then a small 
mining camp on the old emigrant and stage route over 



270 EIvDORADO 

the mountains, but now a lively railroad town on the 
line of the Central Pacific railroad. Auburn, Gold 
Hill, Dutchflat, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Timbuctoo 
and Marysville were also visited, all of which were 
lively mining centers. I had previously visited a part 
of the mining camps of the foothill region in El Do- 
rado and Sacramento counties, with a company or- 
ganized to pursue the noted robber and land pirate, 
Joaquin Murrieta. 

The exploits and crimes committed by this cele- 
brated bandit form a part of the early history of Cali- 
fornia familiar to all early pioneers. It was said that 
while living peaceably with his young wife in 
Tuolumne county, engaged in mining, three young 
men, said to have been Americans, entered his cabin 
while they were partaking of their frugal mid-day 
meal, and after tying the young husband, brutally 
abused and outraged his wife before his eves. He fol- 
lowed and killed the whole number. This justifiable 
act made him an outlaw, and from that time a heavy 
reward was placed upon his head, dead or alive. He 
was joined by other Spanish desperadoes and for many 
months thev defied the authorities, murdering and rob- 
bing at will, and making their escape upon their fleet 
animals into the remote valleys or mountain fast- 
nesses. Some citizens on their way to church in 
Stockton one Sunday morning, noticed a single horse- 
man, wearing a Spanish sombrero, serape, silver spurs 
and riding a finely caparisoned saddle, alight and read 
the notice posted on a billboard of a "reward of $Sooo 
for the arrest, 'dead or alive,' of Joaquin Murrieta. 
They observed that he wrote something thereon. After 
he had ridden leisurely away, the passers by were led 



ELDORADO 271 

from curiosity to examine what was written and found 
the following: "I will give $5000 more. (Signed) : 
Joaquin Murrieta." Men mounted in "hot haste" and 
started in pursuit, hut no trace of the rohher could be 
found. 

In the fall of 1853 Joaquin, with three of his band, 
appeared in my neighborhood one morning, having 
several stolen horses in their possession. Riding to a 
stopping place kept by one Clark in the foothills, 
where "refreshments could be had for man and beast," 
on what was known as the Shingle Springs and Hang- 
town road, they dismounted and called for breakfast. 
While at their meal a party arrived from whom the 
horses were stolen the previous night. They rushed 
in, thinking to take the robbers unawares, but the lat- 
ter were on their guard and shots were exchanged. 
One of the bandits was killed, the others escaped, and 
mounting their horses rode rapidly into the mountains, 
leaving the stolen animals and the horse, with an ele- 
gant silver mounted saddle, bridle and pistols which 
belonged to the dead bandit. Upon their leaving the 
eating house a brother of the proprietor was encoun- 
tered and shot dead. A company, of which I was 
one, was soon formed to pursue the robbers, but after 
two days constant riding the search was abandoned. 
Only once did we discover any trace, and that in a 
secluded and partially abandoned mining camp, which 
was surrounded by timber and a dense growth of 
chaparral. 

Subsequently Joaquin and three of his men. includ- 
ing "Three-fingered Jack," a most daring and despe- 
rate criminal, were captured by Sheriff Love of San 
Francisco while they were attempting to make their 



272 KLDORADO 

escape into Sonora. The head of Joaquin and the 
hand of "Three-fingered Jack" were for a long time 
preserved in alcohol and exhibited to wondering 
crowds. 

Being desirous of visiting Oregon before leaving the 
Pacific Coast we took passage by stage, at Marysville, 
for Shasta, in the northern mines, from whence we in- 
tended to use pack animals in crossing the Scott and 
Rogue river mountains to the head waters of the Wil- 
lamette river, thence to Portland, returning to San 
Francisco by water. Our route from Marysville lay 
by way of Chico, Oroville and Red Blufif. At the for- 
mer place we stopped for dinner at the home of the 
late General John A. Bidwell. His house was mainly 
an adobe structure, like most California houses at that 
time, and adjacent to his Indian Rancheria, which con- 
stituted an important part of Chico. He had acquired 
a large grant of land from Mexico, which was the 
foundation of his great wealth in after years. The 
Indians upon the grant he employed and treated them 
with much kindness. General Bidwell was a true 
American and aided materially in forming the State 
government, and afterwards represented his district in 
Congress, and was for a number of years a standing 
candidate for Governor on the Prohibition ticket. 

While at Oroville I met Mrs. Farnham, former ma- 
tron of the New York Sing Sing Prison, who was 
delivering a series of lectures in California entitled "St. 
James and St. Giles," advocating a great equality be- 
tween the rich and the poor. By her invitation I in- 
troduced her to her audience, composed largely of 
miners, a few ladies and business men. (I was myself 
giving lectures upon phrenology, and was the only cor- 



i8 



ELDORADO 273 

respondent on the coast for Fowler and Wells I'hre- 
nological Journal of New York.) Mrs. Farnhani's 
special visit to California was to hrini;- a cari^o of 
"poor but respectable youny- women to relieve the ne- 
cessities of single blessedness and to provide homes for 
honest and deserving girls and spinsters. Airs. Farn- 
hani related the sad case of "a miner, who, in mending 
his buckskin ■])ants' in attempting to jnill his needle 
through, fell over backwards and broke his collar 
bone." 

Her commendable efforts were fully realized and 
appreciated. The exodus of 100,000 gold seekers 
made dry pastures for deserving young women "back 
East," and they were glad to come to California. The 
trip was made in a small sailing vessel around the 
"Horn." It is worthy of remark that while at ( )ro- 
ville I met a young sailor lad, working in a store, who 
has since become famous for organizing and ccni- 
ducting great business enterprises. He is at the ])res- 
ent time Senior Senator from the State he has done 
so much to help develop. His name is George C. 
Perkins. 

The ride along the Sacramento river to Red Blufif 
was a most delightful one. A cool, refreshing breeze 
came down from the extensive pine forests upon the 
mountain slope to our right. Not a sound broke the 
stillness of primeval nature for many miles, except the 
cooing of the doves and the chattering of the mag- 
pies. For hours, without seeing even an Indian tepee, 
we wound among wide-s])reading, giant li\e oaks, 
many of them covered with wild flowering vines. The 
onlv living objects seen for long distances were a few 
wild cattle or horses in the river bottom, or on the dis- 



274 ELDORADO 

tant foothills. I often traveled the same route in later 
years, but never with the same exuberance and buoy- 
ancy of spirits as on that lovely May day with wife 
and child in the old lumbering stage coach. 

The charm that surrounded many of the experiences 
of pioneer days can never be forgotten. The sun, how- 
ever, shines as brightly now, the air is as balmy, the 
flowers are as fragrant, the doves coo as lovingly, 
and the magpies chatter as entertainingly, as at twenty- 
nine, and life has lost none of its charm at seventy- 
five. 

Arriving at Red liluli we found a little hamlet 
perched upon a high red clay bluff, from which it de- 
rives its name, on the right bank of the Sacramento 
river. We proceeded fifty miles farther, over an unin- 
habited, broken country, to Shasta, one of the liveliest 
mining towns in all that northern region. Here we se- 
cured comfortable quarters and clean bunks in which 
to sleep. Upon making inciuiries with reference to 
continuing our journey over the mountains into Ore- 
gon, we learned that the Klamath and Rogue river In- 
dians were hostile, that several packers and miners 
had been killed, and that no trains were likely to make 
the trip for some time. We therefore determined to 
return by stage to Sacramento and from thence go 
to San Francisco bv steamer, which we accordingly 
did. 

About twenty years later I again visited Shasta and 
Red Blufif, when I was also an "occasional" for the 
Sacramento Union. The following extract is from a 
letter written at that time, October ist, 1875, just a 
quarter of a century ago : 

"Leaving Red Blufif by the evening express of Sep- 



EIvDORADO 275 

tember 25th, 1 readied the hnslliiii; town of Kedding 
on time and found comfortable (quarters at tbe "head- 
ing Hotel.' The smiling and accommodating landlord, 
15. Conroy, makes all newcomers feel at home. With 
clean beds, "square meals' and a homelike intluence 
pervading the house, induced by the presence of a 
pleasant, intelligent family, the weary and dusty trav- 
eler is made to feel that his lot has indeed fallen in a 
pleasant place. * * * ''' Being the present termi- 
rius of the California and Oregon railroad, it is the dis- 
tributing point of an immense trade. Loads of mer- 
chandise are constantly leaving for various points in 
tlie direction of Oregon, drawn by teams of six or 
eight horses or nudes, not infrequently hauling twelve 
thousand jiounds in a single load over rough mountain 
roads. A good class of residences may be seen nestled 
among the natural shrubbery, while an air of intelli- 
gence and refinement far above the average is ob- 
served among the citizens. A ride of an hour and a 
half over a rough and dusty road brings us to the 
antiquated town of Shasta. As one approaches the 
town and sees evidences of old mining days, many 
reminiscences of '49-'50 crowd upon the memory 
Shasta was at one time the leading town in Northern 
California, but its former greatness has, in a great 
measure, departed. Many vacant buildings are now 
seen that once resounded with the hum of business. 
Much litigation in early times was had here, arising 
mainlv from conflicting mining interests, and the 
services of Milton S. Latham, Colonel Zabriska. Gov- 
ernor Foot, Tom IMarshall. Colonel E. D. Baker, and 
other old-time celebrities were frequently called in. and 
as we write of these things we are ready to exclaim : 



276 ELDORADO 

'How are tlie niiglity fallen.' Governor J. Neely 
Johnson, after the expiration of his term of office, and 
haviiii^ fallen into 'ways that are dark,' made this his 
home for a numl)er of years with his beautiful and ac- 
complished wife. As I write I think I see him as I did 
at the time of his marriage, with a physique rarely 
equaled, and a mind clear and vigorous. O ! rum ! 
rum ! how many heartstrings hast thou broken. How 
many brilliant intellects hast thou clouded with 'dark- 
ness that could be felt.' Where is Governor and Sen- 
ator McDougald, the silver-tongued Ferguson, Mar- 
shall, Buel and others whose names were prominently 
associated with the history of this Golden State. We 
drop a tear over their memory, draw the veil of charity 
and turn away in sorrow. * * * * The editorial 
chair of the Courier is well filled in the person of W 
L. Carter, who dispenses intellectual pabulum weekly 
to the good people of Shasta county. I would not fail 
to mention a pleasing and marked feature to be ob- 
served here : the countv officials are men of strictly 
temperate habits and enjoy the full confidence of their 
constituents. Another step in the right direction has 
been taken by this progressive county. The present 
Superintendent of Public Schools is a lady of refine- 
ment and fine executive ability, and under her able 
administration the schools are attaining a high stan- 
dard of excellence. Other counties in the State would 
do well to follow the example of old Shasta. * * 

* Judge Hopkins, from dispensing justice on the 
bench, retires to his meat market and dispenses tender 
steaks to his numerous customers, and that without 
detracting an iota from his dignity. His decisions are 
of the most ponderous character and seldom reversed. 



KLDORADO 277 

(The judg-e's avoir(luix)is is alxjut three hundred and 
fifty pounds.) He is an upright man, a good Judge 
and a prominent Mason." 

On m\- return to Red IjIuIT I dehvered a lecture, by 
invitation, upon "Popular Education," which was re- 
peated in the principal towns of the State and before 
County Institutes. The pastors and teachers of the 
city united in a recfuest for its ]mblication, to which 
consent was given and large numbers were ])rinted in 
pamphlet form for general distribution. 

My ])rincipal object in this "additional," and, in fact, 
entire narrative is to parallel earlier conditions of our 
beloved v'^tate with the present ; reference being had to 
its wonderful development and growth in all educa- 
tional and industrial lines. 

T was recently informed by a teacher in a Los An- 
geles public .school that some of her larger pupils 
when his name was mentioned, had never before heard 
of General Fremont, who was so largely instrumental 
in acqiiiring the territory that now constitutes our 
State and helped to lay the foundation of its present 
greatness ; and who, at one time, was a candidate for 
the ofifice of President of the United States. A better 
knowledge of the history of oiu* own times should be 
taught, even if ancient history be neglected. The 
knowledge acquired and habits formed in the common 
schools cannot be over-estimated. It is all that the 
great majority of our children will ever receive and 
possiblv ever need. 

Our trip to San Francisco was made bv staple to 
Sacramento and from there by steamer to the P>ay City 
where we remained two days. We took passage on 
the steamer Philadelphia for Xcw ^'ork, via Central 



278 ELDORADO 

America, the same route T liad traveled in 1852, ])aying 
for our tickets three liundred dollars each ; nine hun- 
dred dollar's in all. Returnino; with us to "the States" 
was a lad, Robert L. Hutchinson, twehe years of a,G:e, 
having- the full consent of his mother, a widow with 
five boys, whose father was killed by the Indians in 
1848 while prospectinq- for oold. He \\as a brig-ht. 
studious youth who had lieen in my em])Ioy a couple 
of vears, caring- iov stock. He was unwilling to be 
left behind. Four vears later, while attending- an 
acarleniv, he was one of the first to respond when 
"Father Aliraham" called for 75,000 trooi:)S and served 
four -N'ears and four months. He was in nearly all the 
great battles in the west, under Thomas, and with 
Sherman from Atlanta to .-Vppomatox. He was a g-ood 
soldier, was promoted, saved his money, took a coni- 
mercial course after his discharge, was em])loyed for 
a: time with a Salt Lake freighting firm at Tn(le])end- 
ence, Missouri ; retm-ned to California, and is, at this 
time an honored and successful business nran. with a 
good wife, a native son and daug-htcr of the Golden 
West, both educated and cultured. Tn all these years 
I have never known him to taste intoxicating- liquors, 
utter an oath, use tc^tbacco in any form or tell a lie. 
\Voul(l that all young- men could establish 3 like record. 
The arrival and departure of the steamer in those 
(lavs was a notable event in the life of the ])ioneer and 
"stranger in a strange land." The meeting- and part- 
ing- of friends, the "good-bye" and "God bless you," 
the waving- of "bandannas" and hats, as the steamer's 
great wheels began to revol\-e, the watching fi-ou"' 
wharves and steamer deck until the out-going- vessel 
was lost to view in the Golden Gate, are well remenv 



ELDORADO 279 

bered scenes connected with those monthly recurrino^ 
events. They were looked forward to as an agree- 
able change from the monotonous routine of tiie 
miner's life and by all with anxious anticipation of 
news from home and friends "away back East." The 
wharves on those occasions were thronged with a 
motlev crowd. The bearded and l)ronzed miner with 
his woolen shirt, overalls and liigli toi)ped boots : the 
Mexican, with his sombrero, serape. red sash, and 
breeches decorated down the legs with gilt buttons. 
John Chinaman, Kanaka, and Chilino in their native 
costtnnes. made a most interesting combination of "all 
sorts and conditions of men." 

Tt was a typical California May day when we cleared 
the Golden Gate. The air was soft and balmy and a 
light lireeze came in from the ocean. The receding 
low-lying lands of Contra Costa across the bay. dotted 
here and there with groves of grand old live oaks • 
Mounts Tamalpais and Diablo ; the Coast Range ex- 
tending far away north until lost in the blue horizon. 
united to form a panorama of one of nature's grandest 
landscapes. For a day and night, after ])assing the 
Farallones, the ocean was exceedingly rough. This 
was the onlv unpleasant weather experienced during 
the entire distance of thirty-five hundred miles to the 
Isthmus of Panama. To the few who escaped sea- 
sickness, it was amusing, if not interesting, to witness 
the agonies of the unfortunates. The victims, in their 
keenest distress, were only laughed at bv those wIk 
seemed to think it a "good joke." One old o-entlem^'n 
declared he had nothing left "wherewith to feed the 
fishes but his boots." 

The monotonv of the voyage was occasionally 



2So EI.DORADO 

l)n)kcii 1)\- the spouting- of a whale, the gamhols of a 
school of porpoise, the flying fish, that would some- 
times light upon the deck of the steamer, where they 
would 1)e unahle to rise again, or the man-eating sharks 
that would frequently follow in our wake for hours, 
and at night produce a luminous streak in their rapid 
passage through salt water. An "unfeeling" passen- 
ger would at times find amusement in throwing a hot 
brick wrapped in flannel to the monster, who f|uickl\- 
swallowed it. 

As we advanced into the tropical seas many beauti- 
ful fish were seen, but there were none so celebrated 
for their beauty and gamy qualities as the dolphin. 
Idis sides are yellow, inclining to green on the back, 
his tail long forked and richly ti])])ed with mellow, and 
his fins a brilliant 1)1 ue. With a dashing air he darts 
to and fro. driving the timid little flying-fish out of 
the water, and the moment the poor frightened thing 
touches its native clement it is gone. When caught 
upon the hook he yields exhausted, after many unavail- 
ing struggles, and after being raised on deck, he re- 
news in vain his struggles until with the heavy and un- 
sparing strokes of his tail, he covers the deck with 
his blood. Who has not heard of the dying dol]:)hin? 
The rapidly changing hues of green and gold flash 
and fade at intervals ; his blue fins stand out erect as 
in swimming ; the colors seem more brilliant than ever, 
and one can but exclaim. "How beautiful!" But at 
last he lies lifeless; of a dull lead color, as plain and 
unattractive as any other fish. 

One of the most uu] leasant features of an ocear 
voAagc upon a steamer fifty years ago was the small, 
uncomfortable quarters for the night, ccMisisting of a 



KIvDORADO 281 

stateroom (so called) six by six, with narrow berths 
on either side. The only lif^ht and ventilation was 
through a small circular porthole, which, unless 
closed, allowed the water sometimes to dash in during 
a roug'h sea. In case of illness a "stateroom" of those 
days was exceeding-ly unpleasant. 

Two days out from San Francisco a steamer was 
met, havinjT on board an agent of the line over which 
we had purchased tickets, and on coming aboard the 
I'hiladelphia he ordered our ca])tain to run to Panama 
seven hundred miles below San Jnan del Sur, where 
we were to have landed, and transfer his passengers 
about three hundred in all. to the "Morgan line." 
Ours was the "Vanderbilt." It created much dissatis- 
faction, as the time in reaching New York would be 
greatly extended. The object as stated was to avoid 
the possilile seizure of the steamer by the noted fili- 
buster Walker, who. at that time, was in Central 
America with a small body of troops for the ])urpose of 
creating a revolution and overthrowing the govern- 
iTient. He practically controlled the route from San 
Juan to Greytown across Lake Nicaragua. 

Only one port was made from San Francisco to 
Panama, that of Acapulco on the western coast of 
Mexico. 

Passing Cape San T.ucas, the extreme southern ])oint 
of Lower California, the mountain coast of Mexico 
comes into view, where we witnessed volumes of 
smoke issuing from the sunmnit of the volcano "Co- 
lima." about eighty miles inland. At times the toy- 
of this burning mountain was luminous from its fit-es, 
and formed at night an interesting sight to i^assengcrs 
on passing vessels. .After jxissing the Gulf of Te- 



282 ELDORADO 

liauntepec nothing of special note occurred before 
reaching- the Isthmus, our vessel being for the most 
part out of sight of land. 

The day previous to our arrival at Panama a serious 
riot occurred there in which several lives were lost. 
A passenger en route for California, had a dispute 
with a native over the purchase of a watermelon 
which resulted in a general fight between the passen- 
gers on the one side and citizen soldiers on the other. 
The doors and sides of the railroad depot were perfo- 
rated with bullets ; and as the excitement had not sub- 
sided when we arrived, the passengers from our shi] 
were not permitted to mingle with the natives, but 
were hurried aboard the train and conveved at once 
across the Isthnms twenty-six miles to Aspen wall now 
"Colon."' 

As I have given somewhat of a detailed account of 
the overland journev to California bv the gold seekers 
in '49-'5o T will briefly refer to the Panama route, 
which, with the longer trip around Cape Horn, was 
taken chiefly bv those living near the Atlantic sea- 
board, amounting in the vears T have mentioned to not 
less than thirty thousand. The time occti])icd from 
New York to San Francisco by this route was from 
thirty-five to fortv days, and the expense would range 
from three to five hundred dollars. Around the 
"TTorn" on a sailing vessel six or seven months were 
consmncd. The distance from New York to San 
Francisco by Panama was seven thousand miles. 
Around Cape Horn fifteen thousand. "Much suffering 
and manv deaths occurred on these routes. 

The following, from the diary of a physician, James 



ELDORADO 283 

L. Trvon, M. D., in i84<). is l)oth inlercslin^- and in- 
structive. 

"Panama, the terminus of the varied and difficuh 
routes across the Isthmus, is situated on the shores of 
an extensive and l)eautiful 1)ay. It contains aliout 
e\0U tliousand inhabitants, most of whom are negiroes. 
liein.^- one of the old Spanish towns, upon the decline 
of the Spanish power, the place fell into decay. The 
houses are jjenerall}- of stone or brick, two and three 
stories in heig-ht, whitewashed or covered with a coat 
of plaster, and are invariably surrounded by a balcony 
]>rotected from the sim and rain by the roofs of the 
houses extending^ over them. The town is rej^ularly 
arrano^ed. the straig^ht and narrow streets intersecting 
each other at right angles. A wall was built by the 
Spaniards around the portion of the town nearest the 
bay. but at least one-half the population reside bevond 
its limits, and it is in a dilapidated state. A venerable, 
decayed, but still imposing cathedral ; a grand plaza or 
open common — a general characteristic of Spanish- 
built towns — several churches, partly in ruins: the 
crumbling walls of the College of Jesuits, which cover 
a large extent, and of two monasteries, of which the 
walls and bells alone remain ; and the frowning wall? 
and towers of the battery, fronting the bay. are the 
principal features of the town of Panama. Since the 
commencement of the emigration to California a num- 
ber of Americans have established hotels and eating- 
houses in the town and good accommodations arc 
therefore to be obtained by travelers. 

"From Panama steamships convey passengers tr 
San Francisco. Starting from the front of the citv 
the beautiful bav. with its scnu'-circular shores, and 



284 ELDORADO 

the lofty islands of P'lamingo, I'erico, Tobat^o, and 
others present themselves to view. At the island of 
Tobago all the vessels that come into the bay obtain 
their supplies, and the Pacific Mail Steamship Com- 
pany have established their depot for coal, etc., on its 
shores. After obtaining all the necessary supplies the 
steamshi]') moves out of the bay rounding Point Mala. 
The voyage upon the Pacific with all its variety of in- 
cident and scenery then commences. The principal 
annoyance of the travelers is the ahuost intolerable 
heat of the sun and furnaces of the steamship united. 
"Water-spouts and difTerent species of whale are 
frequent sights. North of the Gulf of Tehauntepec the 
steamer nears the land and the bold mountain coast of 
Mexico breaks u])on the view, and at night the pas- 
sengers enjoy a sight of the glaring light jjroduced by 
the burning volcano of Colima, though the volcano 
itself is Init imperfectly seen, being at the distance of 
ninetv miles from the vessel. Soon after this fades 
from view the islands oflf the town of San Bias appear, 
and an immense white rock, isolated from the sea, 
serves as a lighthouse to ships steering for the port. 
At San Bias the steamships ren'ain some tiiue to ol)- 
tain supplies of coal, fresh fruits, and i^rovisions, 
then Cape San Lucas, the extreme southern point of 
Cape Carientes next appears, and soon afterwards the 
entrance to the Gulf of California is approached ; and 
California, with its mountains and rocky shores, is 
hailed by the traveler as the first portion of the "prom- 
ised land" that greets his sight. Passing along the 
western coast of the ])eninsula, the island and bay of 
"Magdalena ap]:)ear, with shores three or four thousand 
feet above the sea. Next the towering ridges of Ceros 



EIvDORADO 285 

fslcs arc passed and the bold rocky shores ol the 
peninsula arc in continual view. Within a few days 
after leaving Panama, tht therniometer falls from 95 
degrees to 55 degrees, and such a change must have 
an injurious effect if additional clothing is not i)ut on 
to meet it. 

"The first portion of Upper California, or the 
'Golden Land,' which presents itself to the voyagers is 
the Coronados, two high round-topped rocks off the 
port of San Diego. Then the beautiful semi-circular 
harbor is entered, and if wanting, supplies are obtained 
from the town. From the harbor of San Diego the 
vessel proceeds along the coast of California and the 
towering peaks of the Coast Range of mountains en- 
gage the attention. The high promontory of St. \'in- 
cent is passed, and then the open l)ay of Monterey is 
entered, and passengers are either let oft' the steamer 
or taken aboard as necessity may require. From Mon- 
terey the steamer keeps along the coast, and mountain- 
ous shores alone meet the view, until the voyagers 
come in sight of the Farallones, two large detached 
rocks at the southern side of the entrance to the bay 
of San Francisco. Then the Golden Gate — as the 
strait or entrance is called — is entered and the perpen- 
dicular clift's and hills upon each shore afford matter 
for wonder. The strait is about three miles long and 
from one to two miles broad. As the vessel reaches 
its terminus, the great bay of San Francisco opens to 
the view, looking like a miniature ocean. Bird Island. 
Wood Island. Angel Island, with the beautiful little 
bay of Sausalito, successivelv meet the gaze, and very 
soon the steamer is anchored, having reached her des- 
tination. While longer than the overland route it oc- 



286 EIvDORADO ' 

cupies much less time in traversing, and, upon the 
whole, its beauties and pleasures in most cases out- 
number the difficulties and annoyances encountered." 

We arrived at Aspenwall about lo o'clock at night. 
The road, nearly the entire distance from Panama, 
having been constructed through a dense tropical for- 
est, the view was circumscribed but none the less in- 
teresting. The immense leaves of the undergrowth 
would at times reach even the car windows. The won- 
derful variety of beautiful foliage, and an occasional 
glimpse of a monkey, parrot or bird of paradise, 
perched upon palm or cocoanut tree, or in the branches 
of the banana, made the trip of thirty miles an exceed- 
ingly interesting one, after a long sea voyage from a 
northern clime. It was hoped and expected that we 
would be able to proceed at once upon our journey, 
but we were doomed to disappointment. Passengers 
who had purchased tickets by the Morgan route were 
first to be accommodated. 

The steamer lying at the wharf, about to sail for 
New York, was unable to receive the passengers from 
the Philadelphia, consequently we were compelled to 
seek accommodations in the town. We had remained 
crowded upon the narrow rickety wharf (everything 
in that latitude was frail and rickety in those days) 
until II or 12 o'clock, uncertain as to our fate. A rush 
was then made to secure quarters. We were informed 
there were one or two hotels kept by Americans. 

With my wife and baby, guided by a few flickering 
candle lights at no great distance, we hurried in the 
direction of one of the hotels and fortunately secured 
a small room and board in a quite commodious l)uil(l- 
ing known as the "Aspenwall." built .somewhat after 



ELDORADO 2.S7 

the manner of a California ranch house, where a hirgc 
number of men arc employed. 

As we entered I noticed a bar, card tables, and bill- 
iard room. On reaching our room I discovered our 
satchel was missing, which contained several thousand 
dollars in gold coin and drafts. Returning to the 
wharf, in some trepidation, I groped in the darkness 
until I found it. It was in the place where we had 
been sitting, having l)een forgotten in the excitement 
incident to being left and anxiety to secure a lodging- 
place. Its fortunate recovery was a great relief to all 
concerned. 

Aspenwall was a new "railroad town," of perhai)s 
two or three hundred inhabitants, mostly negroes from 
the Island of Jamaica, or Spanish half-breed's, the ex- 
ceptions being the railroad employes and a few other 
whites. It was on a level with the ocean and numer- 
ous natural \vells of salt water existed ten or fifteen 
feet deep, at the bottom of which beautiful coral 
formations could be seen, and numerous specimens 
were obtained by employing the nude colored boys to 
dive for them. 

Cocoanut and other tropical fruit-bearing trees were 
scattered through the town. In the rear was a dense 
forest, lying between the Chagres river and the Pa- 
cific Coast, the home of wild beasts, serpents, monkeys, 
and a great variety of strange birds. At the time of 
which 1 wTite all that region constituted a part of New 
Granada, S. A., but since then the name has lieen 
changed to Colombia. 

A short distance from Aspenwall was the ancient 
town of Chagres from whence, after the rush to Cali- 
fornia began, both steam and sailing vessels were con- 



288 ELDORADO 

staiitly eng-aged in carrying freight and passengers to 
and from the principal ports of the /\tlantic States, be- 
fore the construction of the Panama railroad. The 
harbor of Chagres is small, but good for vessels of less 
than two hundred tons burden. 

The following is a description of Chagres and its 
inhabitants in the early part of 1849, written by a pio- 
neer then en route to the gold mines of California : 
-t is a strange, fantastic and oddish-looking town. 
It consists of some forty or fifty huts with pointed 
palm-thatch.ed roofs and reed walls. Nor were the in- 
numerable buzzards which were flying about or rest- 
ing on the houses, together with the energetic ges- 
ticulations of the natives when in conversation, as we 
drew near, at all calculated to lessen the picturesciue 
effect of a first view. The surrounding country was 
anything but devoid of interest and beauty. All had 
a strange equatorial look ; while the green hills around, 
clothed with rich tropical verdure, and the graceful 
and shadowy palm, and cocoanut, with other strange 
fantastic trees, together with the ruins of the large old 
Spanish castle, on the heights above the town, gave to 
the scenery a very beautiful and picturesque aspect. 

"We landed at the beach on some logs, which during 
the rainy season are necessary to preserve the pedes- 
trian from a quagmire, in the midst of dense foliage 
that was here luxuriant to the water's edge, sur- 
rounded by about thirty canoes and some forty or fifty 
huge black fellows, mostly in the garb in which nature 
arrayed them. A majority of the natives are black, 
but some are of a deep copper or mulatto color. The 
thick lips and woolly head of the African ; the high 
cheek-bones, straight hair and dogged look of the In- 



•9 



ELDORADO 289 

(lian ; ami the mure- chiseled features and finely ex- 
pressive eyes of the Spaniard are all here, though 
often so blended that it is difficult to say to which race 
they chiefly owe their origin. In truth they are a 
mongrel race, but generally have the most magnificent 
large, dark, expressive eyes I have ever seen. The 
females, some of whom have rather pretty faces and 
particularly fine eyes were dressed out iti the most 
tawdry finery, with divers furbelows, flounces and 
ruffles encircling the shoulders, where the dress be- 
gins, and terminating some where about or below the 
knee. Some of the younger ones were entirely model 
arfisfc. at least so far as their clothing was concerned, 
but the forms of most were rather indifferent. Many 
were sitting or lounging about the doors or in the 
cabins, eating tamarinds, oranges and other fruit, sur- 
rounded by hairless dogs, pigs, naked children, turkeys 
and buzzards, forming together quite a congruous and 
homogenous mixture. 

The beauty of the coimtr\- through which the 
Chagres river Hows has been the theme of fre((uent 
praise. Its banks are filled in with all the luxuriant 
verdiu-e which tropical climes jjroduce. The tama- 
rind, the date, the pomegranate, the plantain, tlie ba- 
nana, the cocoanut, the lime, the citron, and the pine 
ap])le are abundant. Flowers of ever\- hue send forth 
their fragrance, rendering the air delightful to the 
.senses. Orange groves are numerous and the fruit is 
as plentiful as the apple of the Southern States of the 
Union. ^fountains, hills and vallevs (liversif\' the 
prospect, while the ear is filled with the melodious 
notes of thousands of birds, natives to the tropics, 
their music contrastini'- with the discordant notes of 



290 EIvDORADO 

the parrots, macaws and chattering" monkeys. Such 
a scene is worth the travel to the Isthmus, and the toils 
sometimes endured in crossing it. 

At night parties tliat land are compelled to build 
fires to keep off the wild beasts and venomous ser- 
pents, which abound in the neighborhood of the river, 
and to disperse the myriads of insects wdth which the 
air hums. Alligators of a large size, are to be seen 
on the banks in the day time l)asking in the sun. For 
the first few miles after leaving Gargonia, 1 followed 
closely at the heels of our guide and would often 
pause and turn to examine the a]:)parentlv almost im- 
passable route T had traversed, watch the ]M-ogrcss of 
the rest of the party and wonder at the security with 
which their cautiously-stepping and sagacious animals 
would graduallv overcome seemingly unsurmountable 
olistacles. T urged mine repeatedly to make him 
choose a path, which to all appearances was preferable 
to his own, but to no purpose. He would turn half 
around and in a slow, solemn wav, put his nose to the 
ground and looking keenlv about the i)lace, would 
cautiously put one foot forward, then another, then a 
third and a fourth, when, poised on all drawn under 
him, and close together, he would have a lietter oppor- 
tunity for further inspection which having satisfac- 
torilv accomplished, another cautious step would be 
made as before, and so on until the difficultv was over- 
come. Finding he knew better than T did, I invari- 
c>.])\\ threw the reins to him when difficult obstacles 
were to be siu'mounted. The residt was alwavs for- 
tunate. ( )ne (M- two of the party, however, were sat- 
isfied that horses should not b.ave their own wav, and 
whi])])ed and s])urred them to com])el compliance with 



EI^DORADO 291 

their better judgment. The isstie was as i antici- 
[)atecl. One was thrown over his horse's head into a 
nuid puddle and the other with horse and all stuck fast 
HI a cjuagniire from which it was not easy to extricate 
him. Thus we trudged an often over difficult and 
sometimes dangerous ways. The rider, to avoid a 
severe contusion or probably a broken limb, in turning 
the sharp angles is compelled to i)lace his feet as near 
the animal's head as possible and in this manner he can 
ride in perfect safety, though some little management 
is requisite to maintain his equilibrium. Before enter- 
ing- the defiles, the muleteers shout at the top of their 
voices, and stop for a short time continuing the shout 
as they advance, to apprize others at the opposite ex- 
tremity of the pass that the way is already occupied. 
This is necessary and important, for if two on horse- 
back were to meet in one of these narrow and crooked 
paths, the .scene between the "Quaker and Uandy" 
would have to be re-enacted, for many newspapers 
would have to be read and many segars smoked before 
either could turn out of the way for his neighbor. 

Whenever ladies travel this route they are obliged 
to discard the side saddle and resort to a less feminine 
style of equitation. 1 overtook a party of al)out 
twenty persons on the road, amongst whom was a 
married lady and I watched her rather curiously, to 
observe how she got over the difficulties that beset her. 
Being fortified with that article of male attire, the 
figurative possession of which is said to denote do- 
mestic ascendancy, she thought it incumbent upon her, 
I suppose, to display all the courage and nerve that 
should properly be incased in it. Several times when 
1 fancied that both she and lier nude were on tlu' point 



292 EIvDORADO 

of being capsized, she recovered herself with admirable 
presence of mind and seemed to enjoy the risk ex- 
ceedingly. 

As to myself, i tioundered on as well as I could with 
a mule tottering beneath me from sheer exhaustion 
and sinking every minute up to his knees in mud. It 
seemed to me that we were making little or no 
progress ; and I became thoroughly tired and disheart- 
ened. I do not know any temptation, however power- 
ful, that would again induce me to encounter the never- 
ending series of difficulties and annoyances that lay 
in wait for me at every step ; and I must candidly aver 
that even the force of female example, of which I had 
so merry a specimen before me, did not at all shame 
me into a less impatient endurance of them. Continu- 
ing on, we passed two or three Hacala (or hutsj by 
the way, and after several brief but pleasant stoppages - 
at the various brooks and mountain rills, we at length 
came on a beautiful undulating meadow, where pic- 
turesque villas and shadowy trees decked the verdant 
plain, and soon thereafter the towers of Panama were 
in view. The sun was just setting as we entered the 
suburbs, and a flood of purple glory rested on the sky, 
reflected back by the sparkling waters of the Pacific, 
which brought the distant mountains into bolder relief, 
and cast a deeper shadow through the twilight groves. 
Half an hour's ride over the paved streets, brought us 
to the city, which we entered at the Gorgona gate; 
passing through a heavy stone archway supporting a 
cupola, in which hangs the alarm bell, surmounted by 
a cross. Such is the character of the "Gorgona road" 
from Chagres to Panama, the first fifty miles in dug- 
out bungoes, or boats propelled by nude natives, the 



ELDORADO 293 

rcinaiiulcr of the way on mule back over narrow, dan- 
gerous mountain trails." 

On our passenger list aboard the riiiladelphia were 
thc' names of the entire Democratic delegation from 
California on their way to Philadelphia to attend the 
national convention. They had also taken rooms at 
the "Aspenwall." Many of them were gentlemen who 
had been conspicuous in public affairs, and they con- 
tributed not a little to break the monotony of our long 
delay on the Isthmus. Ex-Governor John Bigler. 
Judge Hastings (afterwards Supreme Judge), "Dave" 
Bull, ex-Sherifif of El Dorado county — a brave and 
popular young man. six feet and a half tall and who, 
both in California and Utah, had a remarkable career 
— and J. C. }{atch, a leading politician of Sacramento 
City, were among the best known. We had also as 
fellow passengers the family of General Sam Houston, 
the hero of Texas Independence, and, after its annexa- 
tion, a Senator in Congress. J\lrs. Calahan, wife of 
the proprietor of the Golden Eagle Hotel at Sacra- 
mento, w'as also a passenger. That popular hostelry 
was erected in 1853, when 1 became one of its original 
guests. It is still the leading Hotel in Sacramento, 
and political headquarters for both the Republican and 
Democratic parties. 

The national convention of 1856, to which I have 
alluded, resulted in the nomination and election of 
James Buchanan for President. Governor Bigler was 
appointed ^Minister to Chili, and it is worthy of note 
that while in that country he saw for the first time, 
what was known as Lucern or Alfalfa, and. thinking 
that if it were adapted to the climate of California, it 
would be a useful product, he procured a small cpian- 



294 EIvDORADO 

tity of seed and sent it here as an experiment. From 
that small beginni.ig came all the alfalfa since grown 
in California. 

His wife and daughter accompanied him to the 
States. A few years later he and his family had all 
passed to the Great Beyond, and no representative 
was left to perpetuate the name of one of California's 
noblest sons. He was twice Governor ; a plain, honest, 
patriotic man. The State should erect a monument to 
his memory. While on shipboard he wrote me a flat- 
tering letter of introduction to Governor Charles Rob- 
inson of Kansas, who was wounded in the "squatter 
war" in Sacramento in 1850, as before recounted in 
my narrative, and was carried aboard the Prison Brig. 

Near the end of the third week after our arrival at 
Aspenwall we were enabled to secure passage to New 
York. After a delightful voyage of six days, we an- 
chored in the beautiful bay of Havana under the grim 
walls of old Moro Castle. After obtaining individual 
permits from the authorities we were allowed to go 
on shore. Our two days' stay was pleasantly spent in 
visiting various places of interest. Among others the 
Cathedral being the original burial place of Columbus. 
Although nearly fifty years ago, a short drive in the 
country revealed many lovely homes- of wealthy 
Spaniards, and a great profusion of tropical flowers, 
plants, and fruit. To those not familiar with the old 
Spanish style of architecture Havana presents peculiar 
features. The buildings are low, with balconies nearly 
meeting from second stories ; the sidewalk about two 
feet wide, and the streets between eight or ten feet, 
only of sufficient width for the passage of the Volante. 
a two-wheeled vehicle driven with horses tandem, and 



ELDORADO 295 

a rider on the leader. Xo other sort of conve\anee 
was seen in Havana at that time. No doubt great 
changes have taken place in Cuban towns within 1 
last half century. 

Previous to our arrival in New York a meeting was 
called in the cabin of the steamer for the purpose of 
ai)ix:)inting a committee, whose duty it should be to 
eni|)loy counsel, and, if so advised, to commence suit 
against the steamship company for damages caused b\- 
our detention at Asjienwall. Quite a number of busi- 
ness men from San Francisco and other California 
towns going East to purchase goods, claimed to have 
suffered loss. I was appointed on that committee, 
and, upon our arrival in New York City, we consulted 
John \'an I>uren, who, after a full discussion of the 
matter, advised that the delay and ex])ense 1)efore 
reaching a judgment would not justify commencing 
an action. 

John \'an Buren was the son of President Martin 
Yan Buren, and was popularly termed "Prince John." 
He was appointed Attorney-General by President 
Pierce. He was a fine specimen of physical manhood, 
and when observed walkfng on Broadway, was a head 
taller than ordinary men. His father, whom I saw 
when he was a Presidential candidate in 1840, was 
short and stout. (My first Presidential vote was cast 
for Martin \'an Buren in the year 1848.) John re- 
ceived the title of "j'rince" through having visited 
England, with the view of paying his addresses to 
Queen Victoria, then in her nineteenth year. He 
danced with her at a court ball, and ever after his re- 
turn home was called "Prince John." 1 distinctlv re- 
member the circumstance of his first visit to I'Jiijland. 



296 ELDORADO 

\'ictoria's choice fell U])()n Prince Albert of Saxe Co- 
burg- Gotha, a man of high character and noble quali- 
ties. 

After one week spent in Xew York 1 departed with 
my wife and child for my home in Illinois, and 
eventually located in Aliimesota until after the death 
of my parents, when I returned to remain permanently 
in California. 

Before bidding a final adieu to my readers, I wish to 
express the hope that they may find as much pleasure 
in perusing the foregoing pages as I have had in re- 
cording the incidents they contain and the historical 
facts I have endeavored to correctly set forth. Let us 
cherish the memories of the past, and the grand 
achievements of those who have labored and sacrificed 
to make our State and nation the home of the liberty- 
loving and oppressed of all nations. The only factor 
of imperialism contemplated by our government is to 
carry a higher civilization to the less favored than our- 
selves. I believe in the Brotherhood and Sisterhood 
of all our race and the Fatherhood and ^Motherhood oi 
God — the two elements from which flows the life of 
all, whether animate or inanimate. Let those of the 
younger generation on whom will devolve the grave 
and weighty responsil)ilities of perpetuating the civil 
and religious liberty bequeathed to us bv our fore- 
fathers, and made sacred by their 1)1o(h1, discharge 
with fidelity all their obligations, guiding to a new and 
nobler life and arousing high motives and holv aims, 
thus leading in the formation of moral, intellectual 
and christian character. 

The second centur\- of our national life can in no 
respect be a repetition of the first. Every age has its 



FXDORADO 297 

own work to do and its own problems to solve. Happy 
tlie age that can call strength and wisdom its own ; 
full of woe and trouble if it be beset with weakness 
and folly. No one can look back upon the first century 
of our nation and fail to see a constant progress, and 
a progress, on the whole, for good. It is for the 
growth of the present, understanding the work of the 
past, to be strong and wise to do the work of a new 
age, the beginning of which is now with us. but the 
end of which no man can see.. 



ELDORADO 299 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

An Account of the Sufferings of a Party of 
Argonauts who were Compelled to Abandon 
THEIR Vessel "The Dolphin" on the Penin- 
sula of Lower California, and make their 
Way on Foot to San Diego. 

The incidents contained in the following narrative 
have been obtained from various authentic sources. 
They are a part of the history of that wild and an- 
omalous rush of half a century ago of those fearless 
adventurers who sought these distant shores in search 
of the elusive Golden Fleece. A short account of the 
company that sailed in the schooner "San Blazina" 
from Mazatlan, and landed at Cape St. Lucas was 
published in the Overland Monthlv in September, 

1875- 

As the winter of 1849 advanced the excitement 
caused by the discovery of gold in California contin- 
ued to increase. At the Isthmus of Panama two or 
three thousand persons were collected waiting trans- 
portation. Every craft that could float was engaged at 
an extraordinary price and fitted up for the long voy- 
age. Only small sailing vessels at that time were ply- 
ing the waters of the Pacific for passenger traffic. 
Thev set sail from Panama overcrowded like a city^ 
electric car at the hour when the clerks and oper- 
atives are hurrying to their homes. 



300 ELDORADO 

As many passengers as could find standing or sleep- 
ing room was taken on board and had the seas over 
which they sailed, been as stormy as the Atlantic, few 
would ever have reached their destination. The 
schooner "Phoenix," seventy tons burden, carried six- 
ty passengers and was one hundred and fifteen days 
on the passage. The "Two Friends," two hundred 
and six tons, carried one hundred and sixty- four pas- 
sengers, and was five and a half months in reaching 
San Francisco. The party of whom I write having 
arrived at the southern extremity of Lower California 
and becoming discouraged at the difiiculties encoun- 
tered in the continuous head winds and calms, which, 
long ago, baffled the nautical skill of the old Spanish 
voyagers, abandoned their vessel and made their way 
along the whole peninsular on foot, subsisting on 
rattle-snakes and cacti, and after enduring incredable 
hardships, reached San Diego nearly naked and emac- 
iated to the last degree. 

The steamer "Falcon" sailed from New Orleans in 
December, 1848, for Chagres, with some of the earliest 
adventurers who left the United States for California 
after the discoverv of gold. 

Crossing the Isthmus by way of the Chagres River, 
in Bungoes. to Panama, thev found no prospect of 
speed V convevance from that port. A number deter- 
mined to purchase an old schooner called the "Dol- 
phin," of about one hundred tons burden, and make 
use of her as a passeng-er boat for California. T- S. 
K. Ogier, afterwards Judp-e of the United States 
Court for the Southern District of California, was 
chosen captain, and she sailed with a companv of 
forty-five men on the loth of January, 1849. They 



ELDORADO 301 

found but six barrels of water on board and no others 
to be had, and as the tank had proved unserviceable 
they procured two large canoes and secured them on 
deck, one on each side, filled them with water, and 
covered them with boards. The space below deck 
was fitted up with berths, and they took along such 
provisions as the market afforded, such as jerked beef, 
beans, rice, pumpkins, etc. The city had been stripped 
of all proper ships' stores by vessels that had pre- 
ceded them. One of the company was a man named 
Rossiter who had successfully navigated a schooner 
on the Hudson River, and upon him devolved the 
responsible duty of steering the Dolphin to California. 
When the time arrived to comply with the terms 
of the sale it was found that the required amount of 
money could not be collected. In this emergency, one 
Captain Winslow. proposed to take her off their hands 
and they were to pay their passage money to him. 
Sixty-eight persons, including officers and crew, were, 
stowed away in this small vessel ; among them was 
Tames McClatcliy, who afterwards became the dis- 
tinguished editor of one of the best papers in the State, 
the "Sacramento Bee." They arrived ai Mazatlan 
without any serious mishap and left that port on the 
r^th of April. For twenty-five days thev sailed on 
their course and had gone about one tlif>usand miles, 
when, having about two barrels of water left in the 
hold, it was thought best to broach that in the canoes 
on deck. To their consternation it was found to be so 
impregnated with the bitter and nauseating jM-operties 
of the wood that it was wholly imfit for use even for 
cooking purposes. All hands were immediately ]xit 
on a daily allowance of a pint to each man, and the 



302 ELDORADO 

vessel was headed for San Diego; but it soon became 
more than doubtful whether the}' could reach land at 
all. The captain insisted upon making the attempt to 
go to San Diego, the passengers remonstrated, and 
finally broke out into mutiny, deposed the captain, and 
put the mate, Mr. Rossitcr, in command, and the 
course was laid to the nearest land on the peninsula 
of Lower California. A guard was placed over the 
water, and the strictest economy was enforced. Fresh 
provisions were quite gone, and the chief part of the 
supply consisted or rice and beans, which they were 
compelled to cook in sea water. With a fresh breeze 
there was little doubt that their supply of water would 
last until they could reach land, but should it fall ofif 
to a long continued calm, they anticipated great suf- 
fering. After about ten days of these apprehensions, 
and much anxiety, they sighted an island and ran to 
it. A boat was sent on shore, and after hours of un- 
successful search it returned ; no sign of fresh water 
could be found. The next day they made the main 
land and the search for water was renewed. For seven 
days they coasted along, landing at every available 
spot to renew the search, but nowhere was a drop of 
fresh water to be found. Their situation was now 
very critical. ' Thev estimated their distance from San 
Diego to be about three himdred miles. They had 
lost seventy miles in way in the last three days. Ev- 
erywhere the coast presented the same forbidding, in- 
hospitable appearance of barren, rocky cliffs, where 
if rain ever fell, it was evaporated at once by the heated 
rocks. A grave consultation was held on deck. To 
the south, there was not a drop of fresh water until 
they should pass Cape St. Lucas, and that was too far 



ElvDORADO 303 

off to afford a hope of reaching it, and if they were 
successful, what could they do in their destitute state? 
The poor success of the schooner in beating up to the 
north, her leaky condition, that made it necessary for 
all hands to take their turn at the pump that never 
rested, and her sails and rigging becoming every da\' 
more dilapidated and unserviceable gave small hope 
that they could look farther north for succor ; certainly 
not with the large number of passengers on board. A 
vote was taken and forty-eight resolved to take their 
chances on shore with such necessities as they could 
carry on their backs. This included nearlv all the able 
bodied passengers. Some of them were too much ex- 
hausted from long continued sea-sickness and starva- 
tion to endure the hardship that "would be necessarily 
encountered. 

There were still left four days' rations of water to 
those remaining on board, allowing a pint a day to 
each person. A landing was effected on the 28th of 
May. under the protection of a point of rocks. They 
reached shore in safety and set out in different direc- 
tions for water. Nearly all were landed before dark, 
and each boat-load was swamped in the surf, but a 
fire was built on the shore and all were rendered rea- 
sonably comfortable. 

Those who landed first had exi)l()red the country 
about five miles in every direction, but Lhey reported 
no signs of water. There was no time to be lost. They 
each had a bottle of the bitter water from the schooner 
and that was their only resource, until they should 
find more. They set out the same evening and trav- 
eled about three miles, and, unable to proceed further 
from the darkness, thev laid down U])on the top of a 



304 ELDORADO 

hill to rest for the night. Here the atmosphere was 
warmer, and undisturbed by the motion of the vessel, 
they all slept soundly. The next morning after the 
best breakfast they could prepare, they renewed their 
journey, in hope of crossing a trail that their chart 
told them led up the peninsula not far ofif. They were 
all enervated by the life on board ship, and by their 
scanty allowance of food for so long a time and their 
halts were frequent and progress slow over the sharp 
loose rocks. There was no soil on the surface and 
the rocks had the appearance of having been burned 
and were either red or black. Among them grew var- 
ious species of cacti, the only vegetation. About mid- 
day the heat became oppressive and in their distress 
they began to throw away everything that encumbered 
them. After crossing a high hill they entered a deep 
ravine at the bottoni of which they had strong hopes 
of finding water. Three of the party, who had started 
without water, prefering to take the risk of not find- 
ing it on shore rather than to take the nauseous fluid 
from the schooner, gave out — two brothers, named 
Smith, and one Gross, a lawyer — and were left behind. 
At the bottom of the canyon they fixed their camp in 
the shadow of a rock, for the heat was very great, and 
scattered about in search of water. None could be 
found and they continued down the ravine, which 
seemed to have been the bed of a torrent in the rainy 
season. About four o'clock in the afternoon they 
came to a small canyon, where the rocks were damp 
and they dug in various places, but found no moisture. 
They licked the moist rocks in their distress, and with 
their lips and mustaches covered with mud, renewed 
the search. A bull dog, owned by one of the party 



ELDORADO 305 

named Houghton, commenced pawing the ground 
about fifty yards off, and, by his persistence, attracted 
the attention of the men. With a small spade which 
they had brought along they commenced to dig, and 
after sinking about four feet they found an abundant 
supply of good water. The stragglers were all called 
in and there was general rejoicing. They were fearful 
of drinking too much, but having satisfied their thirst 
they all fell to cooking their rice and whatever food 
they had saved, in their drinking cups. Their next 
thought was of those who had given out on the way. 
Four of the party set out to their relief Vv'ith canteens 
filled. They were found where they had halted ; two 
were unable to speak from the swollen condition of 
their tongues. Their joy was very great at the un- 
looked for relief. They were allowed to drink, but 
sparingly at first, but after a while they were able to 
drink moderate draughts, and were assisted on to the 
camp at the well. Most of the party remained here 
all the next day, cooking and eating till they had noth- 
ing left. Twelve of them started on and encamped in 
a ravine without water, where they waited for the re- 
mainder to join them and then continued their course 
up the ravine that had the appearance of having been 
blackened by volcanic fires. 

Tn their course they came to a very high mountain 
which it seemed necessary that they must cross, but as 
they came nearer they found a deep ravine interposed 
and into this they must go. This seemed almost a 
hopeless undertaking, as they had to get down by hold- 
ing on to whatever they could, and by jumping from 
rock to rock. When part of the way down they saw a 
stream of water. In their eagerness to reach it many 



3o6 EIvDORADO 

threw away their baggage to lighten their loads ; blan- 
kets, shirts and every disposable thing. Some were 
so impudent as to dump their rice on the ground, 
which others, more provided, or more destitute, picked 
up. Their route could be traced by the articles they 
had thrown away. Their disappointment was great 
on reaching the bottom of the canyon to find the water 
brackish and unfit to drink. Here another consulta- 
tion was held and another unburdening took place, as 
they found climbing over high hills and down into 
deep ravines, with nothing to encumber them as diffi- 
cult a task as they could accomplish. In leaving ar- 
ticles to lighten their loads the^-^ hesitated before throw- 
ing away two things, "Mother's Bible and daguerro- 
type." 

Their course continued up the ravine, for some 
miles, when some of the party started on ahead, and 
before the day closed, discovered the tracks of mules 
in the sand, which, further on, seemed to increase in 
number. Hopes were raised, as these were taken as 
signs that some habitation or settlement was near. 
Some Were of opinion they were tracks of wild ani- 
mals. Others thought perhaps they were near some 
Indian village. The day's march had been over much 
marshy ground. Some rattle snakes were killed and 
eaten. In the morning they made an early start, and 
followed the trail up the ravine. 

Their task was now a hard one. They were nearly 
bare footed and many were becoming ill from exposure 
and lack of both food and water. Of their provisions, 
some were quite gone. One of a party of four man- 
aged to shoot a small bird that was made into soup. 
This was all thev had for twentv-four hours. The 



ELDORADO 307 

company had broken up into small parties, the better 
to prospect for whatever might be found to sustain 
life. Some were alarmed at their situation, but there 
was no use crying ; there was nothing but death behind 
them ; no hope where they were. Some would have 
lain down to die, but for the encouragement of the 
more hopeful. One of the party, being entirely out 
of water, cut open with a small hatchet he was carry- 
ing a "turk's head" cactus which was found to be, in 
the inside, of a pulpy consistence and contained water 
not unlike that of a watermelon. The only food now 
to be had was the fruit of the prickly pear. These 
contained a mucilaginous substance quite nutritious. 
Some would not eat them, for fear of their being pois- 
onous, and others because of the thorns. 

About sundown a horse was discovered near the 
trail. They drove him into a ravine where there was 
water and shot him. After eating sufficient to satisfy 
their wants, they cured what was left by roasting on 
the coals. Finding the old horse saved their dog. for 
the only reason they had not eaten him before was the 
great attachment the owner had for him. The night 
was spent in curing their meat which was to be their 
only food in the future until more was secured. Some 
were very voracious, and as a result of this surfeit of 
horse flesh were taken violently sick. The consequence 
of this over indulgence was that the party was com- 
jjelled to leave two or three behind. The others pro- 
vided for them as well as the circumstances would 
permit. A little rice was mustered for them, and they 
were furnished with arms and some ammunition, so 
that in case they saw anything to shoot they would 
be prepared. With the understanding that relief would 



3o8 KIvDORADO 

be sent them as soon as found, the party moved on. 
it was now necessary that the strongest and best waiK- 
ers should push ahead with their Haversacks as lull 
of meat as they could carry them, i now quote from 
an old journal of one ot the party that, 1 believe, long 
since passed "Over the Divide ' to the "Golden Chores ' 
of the new Eldorado in the Great Beyond. 

"Sunday, June 3d. Ihis day several snakes were 
killed and made mto soup; one had ten rattles, btarted 
on ahead and kept so lor ten miles when 1 stopped 
to rest, the main party passing by. bome of the strag- 
glers urged me on, but i was too tired and camped 
alone. Monday, 4th. Arose before daybreak and 
pushed on, eating my fill of prickly pears as i waiKe^.. 
After crossing a high mountain came to a ravine, in 
hopes of finding water; found some of the party rest- 
ing. A note was found directing them down the ra- 
vine about one and a half miles to water. Here in 
this ravine we found nuts and plums. This was my 
worst day's travel, as I was quite lame and hardly 
able to move along, but perservered. My horse flesh 
I could not eat. 1 gave it all away, glad to get rid 
of it. My relish is the prickly pear. Crossed quite a 
plain and about sunset camped in a ravine alone, the 
party being all in advance. I laid down and soon fell 
asleep. I dreamed that I heard guns and the ringing 
of bells and awoke chilled through. The moon was 
shining beautifully. I started up and followed the 
trail increasing my pace to overcome the benumbing 
effects of the cold. In a short time I thought I saw 
the ruins of an old building, but it was an illusion ; it 
proved to be a projecting point of rocks. Passing it, 
I pressed on in hopes of reaching the camp of the main 



ELDORADO 309 

party. At last came into a valley, of a plain spread out, 
and thought I could see a light in the distance — but 
made up my mind not to be deceived again and hur- 
ried on. The lights grew plainer; then the ruins of 
an old church came n viiew. The roof was fallen in, 
I feared my senses were deceiving me. At last I saw 
the form of a man moving, and his shadow on the 
ground. As I approached him I found the party in 
camp — and what a camp ! I was piloted across a 
stream and taken into an old adobe. There lay my 
companions stretched out upon the dirty floor, wrapped 
in their blankets, in two rows, with a passage way be- 
tween. Some were sleeping sovmdly, others were 
awake. Hovering over a fireplace in the room were 
three or four, boiling or roasting corn, which had been 
obtained of Mexicans who had preceded us on the trail 
and whose abandoned horse we had eaten. They were 
from Moleje, on the Gulf, bound to El Rosario. They 
at first refused to part with their corn as they had onl\' 
a peck and that was to last seven men and one woman, 
but when they heard our story of starvation, they gave 
one-half their corn. Each man had dealt out to him 
his allotted share, but not being there at the time, my 
share was not considered. But I lost nothing, for 
when T came in, quite a number gave me a contribu- 
tion, so that, in fact, I had a better share than the 
others. The guns and ringing of bells of which T 
thought T dreamed, were realities. Tlie old bell of the 
Mission was set ringing and guns were fired by the 
bovs to bring in the stragglers and so express their 
joy. 

"This was the valley and mission of San Fernando. 
It is capable of being a beautiful spot : has been highly 



310 ELDORADO 

cultivated, and is easy of irrigation, At the mission 
were two bells, the dates upon them were 1761 and 
1767. There seemed to be a room in the old ruins 
which was kept in some order, as I could see through 
the keyhole gilding paintings, and the altar. About a 
mile below the old ruins there was an Indian's hut. 
He had a small patch of wheat not ripe, which we com- 
pelled him to pull and thrash and make into mush 
which he was well paid for. This gave us half a pint 
each. We also obtained some little meal from him 
to help us on our journey to El Rosario, twelve leagues 
off. Starting on our journey, we crossed a high moun- 
tain and came to what was apparently the crater of a 
volcano. Continued on, very tired and foot sore. At 
last came in sight of the long looked for place. We 
came to an Indian's hut who was preparing a kind of 
mush made of something that tasted much like the 
earth. We devoured it, asking no questions, and felt 
rested and refreshed. At length, about 4 o'clock, we 
arrived at Rosario. Those who had preceded us pre- 
pared dinner and it was ready waiting us and it was 
the best dinner I ever ate ! it was of beans and corn 
bread. It was the first meal eaten in twenty days. We 
camped under fig and apple trees close to the bank of 
the river. Wednesday, June 6th. Obtained a quantity 
of beef ; dried some, and barbecued ribs for dinner. 
The people are friendly and the women good-looking. 
Had more of their good corn cake. Some of the party 
have started for San Diego. Horses and provisions 
have been sent to the sick man and party. It seems the 
men would never get enough to eat. We are enjoying 
our rest finely and our feet are getting well. Part of 
the company have crossed the river and canqied. I 



ELDORADO 311 

tried to buy a peck of pinyola of a woman for which I 
otTered her a dollar, which she refused, but wanted 
my shirt. As I had on two I gave her one. Started on 
my journey in the afternoon, followinj:;^ up a ravine, 
crossed a table land and camped near the shore of the 
ocean in a little ravine that protected us from the cold 
winds of the coast. It was a little spot full of holes 
which were said to be rattlesnake holes, but all spread 
our 1)lankets over them and so prevented the snakes 
coming- out. Thus we slept soundly, undisturbed by 
the roar of the ocean surf. We were told on leav- 
ing Rosario that we would not find water for a long 
distance. About 9 o'clock came to a place where there 
had been water, but it was dried up now. Here we 
rested, tired and hungry. I saw in the distance of 
twenty or thirty miles a range of mountains from 
whence T knew there must be a stream of water, as it 
must naturally come from the ocean. We were sur- 
prised and delighted after going about three miles to 
find a beautiful stream of clear water, as we were suf- 
fering greatly from thirst. We started in the after- 
noon much refreshed and followed the beach, but had 
not proceeded far before we discovered two vessels 
Iving in under the shore a good distance off. The 
two vessels proved to be the Paradiso of Genoa, and 
our schooner, the Dolphin. Nearly all hands were 
ashore. ^Tr. Graves determined to go in her on ac- 
count of sore feet. Captain Rossiter advised me not 
to go as she leaked badly. ATondav. Ttth. Nearlv 
the Avhole partv have gone on by land ; distance to San 
Francisco, six hundred and fifty miles. Thev are un- 
able to get horses and are on foot. The Paradiso sailed 
this morning, with some of the passengers from the 



312 EI.DORADO 

schooner. We sent on board of her for some provis- 
ions, but the boat was swamped and all were lost." 

The three sick men left in the rear two weeks be- 
fore, were without medicine and their sufiferings were 
very great. They were strong in the hope and expec- 
tation of aid from those in advance, but, unfortunately 
no assistance could be rendered them. They struggled 
along many days, often compelled to carry one of their 
sick comrades, subsisting on what they could find by 
the way. When strength and courage had nearly 
failed they were surprised one day at seeing a man 
coming along the trail towards them. He was carry- 
ing a rifle which he took by the muzzle trailed it along 
the ground and approached them saying he was 
"Christiano." He was an old mission Indian and said 
he lived at "Mission San Fernando." He took from 
his girdle, which was tied about him, same pinola, 
which was mixed with water and given to the sick 
man. Seeing their destitute and famished condition 
tbe old Indian cut the stalks from a species of cactus 
and at the same time dug from the ground with his 
knife the bulbous roots of another species. Burning 
oflf the outside of the cactus the inner part made ex- 
cellent food about the consistence, and lasting very 
much like a banana. It was a revelation and a God- 
send to the tired and famished pilgrims. The roots 
were cooked, by digging a small hole in the ground, 
into which they were placed, and a fire built over 
them. When cooked they much resembled the sweet 
potato. The eflPect of eating them is said to be like 
drinking wine after dinner. They subsequently joined 
their comrades, the sick man. Melville, dying soon 
after. 



ELDORADO 313 

The main party continued their journey u]) the 
coast, sometimes along the seashore and sometimes 
over spurs of mountains, suffering from the effects of 
cactus thorns and sharp rocks on feet poorly protected. 
They continued their journey until the twenty-fourth 
of June, when they arrived at San Diego. Hungry, 
ragged and destitute, they saw above the military 
station at that place the Stars and Stripes flying, 
which they greeted with a hearty good will. The 
"Dolphin" renewed her endeavor to reach San Fran- 
cisco and succeeded in working as far north as to be 
within sixty miles of Monterey, where a landing was 
made for supplies of wood and water. Some cattle 
were found and one was killed and taken on board. 
Adverse winds were more violent north of Point Con- 
ception, and the schooner driven back so far that the 
men who remained with her abandoned all hope of 
ever reaching San Francisco and bore away for San 
Diego, where thev ultimatelv arrived with the vessel 
in a sinking condition. Melville died the dav before 
her arrival and was buried there. He was an intelli- 
gent voung man, a good companion and a true friend. 
His heroic fortitude and long sufferine-s endeared him 
to all his companions. The wreck of the Dolphin was 
condemned and sold and the proceeds divided pmonfst 
the passengers and crew who then made the best of 
their wav to San Francisco and the mines. 



M 1Q ^9*" 



LIBRPIRY OF CONGRESS 



001 964 640 3 



